Dan K. Utley

Cotton farming was the only way of life that many Texans knew from the days of Austin's Colony up until World War II. For those who worked the land, it was a dawn-till-dark, "can see to can't," process that required not only a wide range of specialized skills but also a willingness to gamble on forces often beyond a farmer's control-weather, insects, plant diseases, and the cotton market.This unique book offers an insider's view of Texas cotton farming in the late 1920s. Drawing on the memories of farmers and their descendants, many of whom are quoted here, the authors trace a year in the life of south central Texas cotton farms. From breaking ground to planting, cultivating, and harvesting, they describe the typical tasks of farm families-as well as their houses, food, and clothing; the farm animals they depended on; their communities; and the holidays, activities, and observances that offered the farmers respite from hard work.Although cotton farming still goes on in Texas, the lifeways described here have nearly vanished as the state has become highly urbanized. Thus, this book preserves a fascinating record of an important part of Texas' rural heritage.

Markers is an exploration of friendship and personal journeys by two public historians who first met in 1979 as overseers of the Official Texas Historical Marker Program of the Texas Historical Commission. The “markers” they write about in this collection of reflective poetry speak to perceptions of place, memorable characters, life-changing encounters, quiet times, and shared perspectives of the past. These are the abiding landmarks of two friends who, after only three years as colleagues, traveled seemingly divergent professional paths that nevertheless crossed many times through the years, always in meaningful ways. Herein are some of the many stories they have shared along the way.

As they tee up, make their approach shots, or line up their putts, few Texan golfers likely realize that the familiar landscapes of tee boxes, fairways, and greens can obscure stories from the past that played out on those same grounds. In Links to the Past: The Hidden History on Texas Golf Courses, authors Dan K. Utley and Stanley O. Graves take readers on a historic (and prehistoric) tour of eighteen Texas golf courses that have surprising connections to history.On the “front nine,” points of interest include encounters with dinosaur fossils near Austin, a Comanche raid on a Spanish mission near Menard, and a battle between Anglo buffalo hunters and Native Americans near Lubbock. The “back nine” explores reminders of the East Texas lumber industry near Diboll, a training ground for the Rough Riders outside downtown San Antonio, and a race riot near Houston in 1917, among other locations.Fun, compelling, and enlightening, this book is a reminder that history has occurred all around us, not just in historic districts, state parks, or even where official state markers might be found. Featuring “scorecards” for each course that include location, historical facts, and a “signature hole of history,” as well as historical and contemporary photographs and informative sidebars, Links to the Past is sure to entertain. Golfers, history buffs, and heritage tourists will want to toss this handy and engaging book in the front seat of the car—or zip it into the side pocket of their golf bags.

When a Chickamauga Battlefield ranger was asked where to find the Texas monument, his quick reply was “Go to where the fighting was fiercest.” While that spontaneous response accurately underscored the legendary battlefield zeal of the Texas forces in virtually every major Civil War battle, it likely did little to answer the visitor’s question.In this book, the authors will inform visitors to many Civil War battlefields about the heroic role played by the Texans at key sites and why the State of Texas has, over the years, seen fit to officially commemorate the valor of the hard-fighting men of Texas with impressive monuments.With the sesquicentennial observance of America’s Civil War already underway, however, Texas has chosen to pay little attention to Texans’ contribution to the Confederate cause. Regardless of the scant official recognition being afforded this seminal event, the facts remain that there was a Civil War and that Texans were very often at the hot center of its battles—“Where the fighting was the fiercest.”Students of American history, as well as visitors and those planning to visit the eighteen battlefield monuments described in this book, will learn how Texas forces fared in the fighting. Time must never be allowed to erase the memories of those sacrifices and those battle-bloodied accomplishments on the field of honor. This book will ensure that present and future generations will always remember the monumental significance of the story of Texas in the Civil War.

East Texas is a distinct cultural and geographical region roughly the size of the state of Indiana. It is bounded on the east by the Sabine River and the state line, on the north by the Red River, and on the south by the Gulf of Mexico. The remaining boundary line is open to conjecture but is generally considered to represent the dispersed western limits of the Southern Pine Best. Those who have lived and worked in East Texas share a common sense of place that has provided some of the state’s more colourful characters and most enduring landmarks, as well as a richly-layered cultural history. The region has also produced a large number of historians and storytellers who have successfully drawn upon their diverse and unique heritage to chronicle the past. Just Between Us will be at one level the inside story of a large community, where all residents comfortably share somewhat familiar stories about home. It is also, however, a regional record for others to enjoy, analyse, and celebrate. The stories are firsthand accounts by those who know the region best, and they serve as glimpses onto life in the Pine Belt that to this point have not been recorded or widely shared. They are, for the most part, small stories that might not be found in general histories but that nevertheless collectively make a profound statement about the unique character of an important region.

Each of the wars fought by Texans spawned the creation of scores of military sites across the state, from the lonely frontier outpost at Adobe Walls to the once-bustling World War II shipyards of Orange. Today, although vestiges of the sites still exist, many are barely discernible, their once-proud martial trappings now faded by time, neglect, the elements and, most of all, public apathy. ?In Faded Glory: A Century of Forgotten Texas Military Sites, Then and Now, Thomas E. Alexander and Dan K. Utley revisit twenty-nine sites—many of them largely forgotten—associated with what was arguably the most tumultuous hundred-year period in a five-century span of Texas history.?Whether in the war with Mexico, the American Civil War, in clashes between Indians and the frontier army, or in two worldwide conflicts fought on foreign shores, Texas and Texans have often answered the call to arms. Beginning in 1845 and continuing through 1945, the Lone Star State and its people were fully involved in seven major conflicts. ?In this thoroughly researched and absorbing guide, Alexander and Utley recount the full story of the sites from their days of fame to the present. Comparing historic sketches, paintings, and period photographs of the original installations with recent photographs, they illustrate how time has dealt with these important places. Providing maps to aid readers in locating each site, the authors close with a resounding call for preservation and interpretation for future generations. ?The descriptions and images restore, at least in the mind’s eye, a touch of vitality and color to these forgotten and disappearing sites. Thanks to Faded Glory: A Century of Forgotten Texas Military Sites, Then and Now, both the traveler and the armchair tourist can recover a sense of these places and events that did so much to shape the military history of Texas.