An unknown cowboy in Austin, 1880s.

A 1940s view of Dallas' Love Field. I love how quaint and unhurried it appears ---- not to mention that great Art Deco facade around the entrance. Air travel these days is so trying in comparison. Courtesy the great folks Dallas Love Field Airport .

The Arcane Texas Fact of the Day:

The McDonald Observatory out in the Davis Mountains is 85 years old today. It was on May 5th, 1939 that the telescope of the University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory was dedicated. The observatory, located on Mount Locke, owes its…

The Texas Quote of the Day comes from an 1890 copy of William Corner's 'San Antonio de Bexar,' which was recently gifted to me by a Traces of Texas reader. It is a guidebook with historical essays, descriptions of county and church records, interviews with memorable Texans, a…

youtu.be/lZsdvn2uJH0?si…

Wherever you find yourself in Texas or the Texas of your Heart or the Texas that's in Your rearview mirror or the Texas of your dreams, here's some joyous Conjunto San Antonio with their take on the Hank Williams classic 'Jambalaya.' Try not to dance…

May the Fourth be with you. Star Wars opens in Abilene, 1977. I didn't see it in Abilene (rather in Temple) but I remember the build-up and excitement very, very well. We got to the theater and lines were stretched around the parking lot and I couldn't believe it. I watched it on…

A train on the triple overpass bridge at the edge of Dealey Plaza in Dallas (question: does this bridge have a formal name?). I'm not sure when this was taken, but the bridge was built in 1935 and the roads beneath it have yet to be built, so perhaps around that time.

A migrant worker from Texas picks cotton in Mississippi, 1939. Working like this all day, day in, day out, with little hope of anything better would be a harsh life, indeed. I am thankful to have been born in a time of air conditioning and relative prosperity.

Traces of Texas reader D.J. Anderson sent in this great photo of bustling downtown Roscoe, Texas, in 1906. Roscoe is in Nolan County, about 3 miles west of Sweetwater. D.J.'s great grandfather was half owner of the plow store that you see in the background. Super clarity!

A true Panhandle scene: a windy day in Dumas, 1942. If you look real far into the distance you'll be able to make out a Ding Dong Daddy. 😉😀😄

Photo taken by John Vachon.

The Texas Quote of the Day:

'When one of the first windmills in the Texas Panhandle was installed and put into operation, the owner took his crew of riders out to see how it worked before acceptin' it from the contractor. When he saw the little trickle of water flowin' out he…

The T.G.&Y. store and Kroger grocery store in Palestine, 1970. Who remember's T.G.& Y.? There was one in Temple for awhile, I remember.

This photo comes from the collection of the Palestine Public Library via the Portal to Texas History.

The Arcane Texas Fact of the Day:

In August, 1749, the Apaches, frightened by the Comanches, made peace with the Spaniards in what's now San Antonio.

On August 16 a sumptuous feast was served to the chiefs of the Apache nation on the Main Plaza. The next day, Mass was said in…

It's Friday night in Texas. You know what I'm talking about. And how talented is Daryl Hall?

youtu.be/jKUbPoq2RKk?si…

Ok. I, Traces of Texas, have a confession: A few years ago I had to spend several weeks outside of Texas. I know, I know. I did not want to, but my niece got married in a part of the world that is not Texas so I had choice in the matter.

Anyway, y'all can imagine my…

The Bonus Texas Quote of the Day:

'We have often heard of the middle of nowhere, and believe it to be somewhere in Texas.'

------ editorial in the New York Times, 1889

A logging crew in Jasper, Texas. This is undated, but judging by the clothing, I'm thinking it's perhaps the early 1950s. There's so much character in some of these men's faces. The man fourth from the right in the back row looks like he's got some stories to tell!

Goodness gracious ... That's a HUGE tornado. Y'all be safe out there!

Traces of Texas reader Tyler Vance has taken some super photos. Tyler took this dynamite image of a farm family watching parade on Polk Street in Amarillo back in 1971. I love everything about it. Their clothes, the expressions on their faces .... simply perfect. This one…