Publisher's Synopsis
If those walls could talk...this is what they would say. A story of Texas.
What is the oldest product brand in Texas? (page 43) In what building was the first H-E-B self-service grocery? (page 32) What Texan was the longest living Vice-President or President? (page 60)
Santa Gertrudis cattle... octagon houses... the "Prince of the Pines"... iron horses... windmills... pecans... high school football... Harvey Houses... the CCC... rose bushes... camels... kit houses...the golden age of motoring... irrigation canals... early aviation... the rise of suburbia... urban bats... Buffalo soldiers... rammed earth buildings... courthouses... Frank Lloyd Wright... movie sets... dance halls... integrated circuits... Rosenwald schools... kolaches... extension agents... parkitecture... Texas toast... This book will have you telling stories like a native in no time.
The photos and stories collected here are a fast and fun way to learn the explanations behind the quirks, the traditions and the secrets that make Texas uniquely Texas. What is the only Spanish-built aqueduct in the United States? Solved. What was the Red River Bridge War? A mystery no more. What Texas airfield did flying legend Charles Lindbergh train at? Identified. The first golf course in the Texas Golf Hall of Fame? Revealed.
Imagine a group of settlers arriving in an undeveloped location. First come shelters in which to live and then structures in which to work and shop. There are buildings for worship and education. As the community grows government buildings are required. With prosperity comes places in which to spend leisure time. And each step along the way builds a story only Texas can call its own. That story is all around you in the buildings you can see on Texas streets. A story told in 100 buildings.
Almost all of the selections within are open to the public, or at least visible from public spaces. So, if you haven't seen these landmarks in person, fire up your GPS and get out and see the story of the Lone Star State standing in plain sight on Texas streets!
