Passport to Texas

Fulton Mansion, image from www.coastalbendmoms.com

History: Texas Time Off Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We have something in common with early Texans.

06 – Christmas and the month of December—in large part—was the time when Texans gathered.

Cynthia Brandimarte is program director for Texas historic sites. Unlike today when a short trip by car or plane will get us to our holiday destination, travel was difficult for early Texans.

09 – And so when you traveled, you tended to stay. People had time at Christmas to do that—to travel and spend weeks.

Which makes the few days that most of us get off at Christmas seem like a rip off. And early Texans made good use of this block of time.

08 – It was then that they celebrated not only Christmas, but other special events, and planned weddings for the month of December.

Since Texas was mostly rural in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, and there wasn’t a lot of farming that could happen in December…

15 – It almost gave 19th Century and early 20th Century rural Texans an excuse not to work. And thus to play a bit more, and socialize a bit more, than they had time to do many other months of the year.

How will you spend your time off this holiday season? How about making a little time to enjoy the great outdoors?

From all of us at Passport to Texas, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Painting by Viggo Johansen (1891)

Christmas in Texas: Christmas Trees Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The custom of decorating trees for Christmas took root in German villages during the sixteenth century.

07—A lot of Germans, as you know, settled Texas. And they brought a tradition with them of the tabletop Christmas tree.

Cynthia Brandimarte is program director for Texas historic sites.

12—When you look at interior photographs of Texas houses, you see many tabletop Christmas trees ornamented for the season, particularly in German households in the late nineteenth century Texas.

Ornaments were handmade then, and small gifts often dangled from branches. Eventually, the tabletop conifer gave way to larger trees that became “floor models,” and the decorations sometimes mirrored the day’s events.

22—You saw more and more seven or eight feet trees that were placed on the floor. And because we had just ended the Spanish American war in victory, there was a fashion in the early part of the twentieth century to decorate trees with a few American flags here and there. We have photographic evidence for that.

If you celebrate Christmas, we wish you a joyous holiday. And if you do not, then it’s the perfect opportunity to spend time in nature, because Life’s Better Outside.

That’s our show… we record our series at the Block House in Austin, Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Hueco Tanks Rock Art

TPW TV: Hueco Tanks Graffiti Removal Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This month on the Texas parks and Wildlife TV show, see how state of the art laser technology saved ancient rock art at Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site, Producer, Abe Moore:

67— Hueco Tanks State Park out by El Paso is really world class when it comes to rock art. There, they have more painted masks than anywhere else in North America. But one of the things that happened to come of this rock art is vandals damaged several of the pictographs with graffiti; and the thought was they could never be restored back to their original glory.

It was amazing, because you could look at the graffiti and this laser literally just eats at it – right in front of your eyes. And it just kind of disappears and then you’re left with whatever the beautiful picture is underneath. This story will air on Texas parks and Wildlife TV the week of October 21st through the 27th. So, it’s some cool technology in action.

Thanks Abe.

That’s our show…For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TPW TV: Charlie's Cannon Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

History comes alive every April on the San Jacinto Battlegrounds with the reenactment of the battle of San Jacinto. This month the TPW TV show introduces viewers to a reenactor who brings his own cannon to the event. Producer Bruce Biermann.

67—I never met anyone who owns a cannon until I met Charlie Yates.

He wants to preserve those who came before us—their memory, their efforts. And help us never to forget them, but also to learn from them.

Thanks, Bruce.

Catch Charlie and his cannon on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV show the week of July 29th.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Battleship Texas Turns 100! Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Throughout the year, Battleship Texas is celebrating the 100th year of its launching—which occurred May 18, 1912. Our State Park Guide Bryan Frazier has details.

63—There simply is not a more historic watercraft that we have here in the united states. Everything from the only remaining dreadnaught class battleship to the only surviving battleship to have fought in both WWI and WWII. It was the first US naval craft to get a commercial radar put on its decks. It was the first ship in the navy to get anti aircraft guns mounted on its deck back in 1916. It sits in the Houston Ship Channel in la Porte Texas near the San Jacinto Battleground Complex. People can tour it, there are overnight events, and they’re celebrating the hundredth year of its launch. And its and amazing piece of living history. It’s not only significant to Texas; it’s significant to our country. It’s not only this gigantic boat that sits there moored in the harbor, but it’s a symbol of everywhere we’ve been with our military history, and it just represents the pride and the investment that people have put into that, and what our country and our freedom have stood for on the seas. Battleship Texas is a living legend, and it is 100 years old this year.

Thanks Bryan

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.