Hidden History of the Llano Estacado

by Paul H. Carlson (Editor), David J. Murrah (Editor)

Overview

The Llano Estacado, or "Staked Plain," of Texas and eastern New Mexico spreads two hundred miles across what early visitors called "an ocean of land." No other place on Earth is quite like it. Humans first inhabited the area more than twelve thousand years ago. Subsequently, settlers came to convert the grassland to ranches and then to sprawling farms. Every new generation performed its duty at this cultural crossroads, from the trade routes established by the comancheros to the fateful meeting between Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley at Lubbock's Cotton Club. Noted West Texas historians Paul H. Carlson and David J. Murrah compiled and edited fifty-six brief stories presenting the Llano Estacado's heritage at its liveliest and most unfamiliar.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625858863
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	11/13/2017
Series:	American Chronicles
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	1,036,058
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Paul H. Carlson, PhD, is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and the Philosophical Society of Texas. As emeritus professor of history at Texas Tech University, he is the author of numerous books and articles and an editor of others. A fellow of both the Texas State Historical Association and the West Texas Historical Association, he is also the recipient of several university teaching awards. He lives with his wife, Ellen, in Ransom Canyon at the very edge of the Llano Estacado.



David J. Murrah, PhD, is a museum and historical consultant. He served for twenty-five years as archivist and director of the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University before entering the museum exhibit/design field with Southwest Museum Services of Houston. He has written or edited six books and numerous articles on Texas history and is a fellow of both the Texas State Historical Association and the West Texas Historical Association. A native of the high plains (Gruver, Texas), he and his wife, Ann, now live on the Texas coast at Rockport.

Table of Contents

Preface 11

Part I A Deep Past 15

1 Lubbock Area's Ancient Past Paul H. Carlson David J. Murrah 17

2 Arch Lake Woman Dolores Mosser 20

3 The Coronado Campsite in Blanco Canyon Jack Becker 23

4 The Llano Estacado's La Pista de Agua Viva Sammie Simpson Paid H. Carlson 26

5 The Lady in Blue Paul H. Carbon 30

6 Comancheros Paul H. Carbon Randy Vance 33

7 The Mackenzie Trail Paul H. Carlson 36

8 Quanah Parker's Birthplace Paul H. Carlson 40

Part II Ranches and Roads 43

9 Sheepherders on the Llano Paul H. Carlson 45

10 Rath City Cheryl Lewis Paul H. Carlson 48

11 The XIT Ranch Windmill David J. Murrah 51

12 Great Western Trail: The Almost Forgotten Last Major Texas Cattle Trail Sylvia Gann Mahoney 54

13 Murdo Mackenzie and the Matador Ranch Leland Turner 57

14 The IOA Ranch, Lubbock County Texas Don Abbe 60

15 The Llano Estacado, Mexico and Gulf Railroad Paul H. Carlson 63

16 Ozark Trails Roadways in West Texas Paul H. Carlson 66

Part III Town Builders 69

17 George Singer and His Yellow House Store Henry B. Crawford 71

18 W.E. Rayner, a Founder of Lubbock Paul H. Carbon 74

19 Frank Wheelock Jennifer Spurrier 77

20 The Founding of Lubbock Paul H. Carlson 80

21 The Nicolett Hotel Paul H. Carlson 84

22 Mollie Abernathy June Steele 88

23 Isham Tubbs Jack Becker 91

24 The "King Makers" of Lubbock Paul H. Carlson 94

Part IV Legend Makers 99

25 German Novelist Karl May and the Llano Estacado Meredith McClain 101

26 Thomas S. Lubbock-Namesake of Lubbock County David J. Murrah 104

27 Mackenzie and Custer David J. Murrah 107

28 Elizabeth Boyle "Aunt Hank" Smith Paul H. Carlson 110

29 Bill Harrod and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra Curtis Peoples 114

30 Buddy Holly Curtis Peoples 117

31 Governor Preston Smith Donald Walker 121

32 Lauro Cavazos of Texas Tech Gene B. Preuss 124

Part V Tough Times 127

33 W.P. Soash and Excursion Trains to the South Plains Jennifer Spurrier 129

34 The Aborted West Texas A&M, 1917 David J. Murrah 132

35 Slaton and the Ku Klux Klan, 1921-1926 Robert Sledge 135

36 The Thanksgiving Day Sandstorm, 1926 Paul H. Carlson 138

37 The "Black Sunday" Dust Blizzard, April 14, 1935 Paul H. Carlson 141

38 The Lubbock Flood, May 20, 1941 Paul H. Carlson 144

39 The Lubbock Tornado, May 11, 1970 Paul H. Carlson 147

40 The Rise and Fall of Three Way Independent School District Jack Becker 150

Part VI Landmark Places and Events 153

41 Casas Amarillas Paul H. Carlson 155

42 Lubbock County's Causey Hill Robert L. Carr Paul H. Carlson 158

43 Virginia City in Bailey County, Texas Dolores Mosser 161

44 C.W. Post's "Ragtown" in Garza County, Texas J'Nell Pate Barnes 164

45 Texas Tech's Inaugural Football Season, 1925 David J. Murrah 167

46 Lubbock's "The Flats" Neighborhood Paul H. Carlson 170

47 Clent Breedlove's Lubbock Airfield John W. McCullough 173

48 Lubbock's Major Military Bases of World War II Don Abbe 176

Part VII Bright Lights of the Llano 179

49 Early Christmas Celebrations around the Caprock David J. Murrah 181

50 Lubbock's Original Cotton Club Ashley Pettiet 184

51 The Lubbock Lights Sighting, 1951 Meredith McClain 187

52 Mac Simmons June Steele 190

53 Margaret Formby and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame David J. Murrah 193

54 The Palm Room Christena Stephens 196

55 Buddy Holly's Lubbock in the Late 1950s Paul H. Carlson 199

56 Texas Tech's National Basketball Championship, 1993 David J. Murrah 202

Selected Bibliography 207

Index 209

About the Contributors 221

About the Editors 223