This Day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) Texarkana established December 08, 1873 On this day in 1873, the community of Texarkana was established, and the first store in town, a combination drug and grocery store operated by George M. Clark, opened for business. The town is in two states, Texas and Arkansas,…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) Dallas museum trustees issue statement in “red art” controversy December 07, 1955 On this day in 1955, the board of trustees of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts issued a statement that they would “exhibit and acquire works of art only on the basis of…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) U.S. government OKs building of Port Isabel lighthouse December 06, 1851 On this day in 1851, the contract to construct the Port Isabel lighthouse was let by the United States government. The brick lighthouse stands near State Highway 100 in southeastern Cameron County. It is…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) Texans assault Mexican garrison at Béxar December 05, 1835 On this day in 1835, the Texas revolutionary army began its assault on the Mexican garrison at San Antonio de Béxar. Ben Milam and William Gordon Cooke gathered more than 300 volunteers to attack the town…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) Carl G. Cromwell, ignoring orders, brings in world’s deepest oil well December 04, 1928 On this day in 1928, Carl G. (the Big Swede) Cromwell drilled the world’s deepest oil well. In the wake of his 1923 success with the famed Santa Rita No. 1, Cromwell…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) West Texas townsite company sells more than 200 lots despite sandstorm December 03, 1924 On this day in 1924, the Anton Townsite Company sponsored a “Grand Opening Jubilee” despite a blinding sandstorm and succeeded in selling more than 200 lots in the new town of…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) From Peck to Tomball to “Oil Town U.S.A.” December 02, 1907 On this day in 1907, citizens of Peck, located about thirty miles north of Houston, renamed their community Tomball in honor of Thomas Henry Ball, a well-known politician and prohibition advocate. Ball…
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This day in Texas History: (from the Texas State Historical Association archives) Cartoonist’s career begins December 01, 1905 On this day in 1905, political cartoonist John Francis Knott began his career with the Dallas Morning News. Born in Austria, Knott grew up in Iowa and honed his drawing skills in Chicago before journeying to Dallas, where he…
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