During the 1870s, there was wondrous change in West Texas. The area was ripe for settlement, and as the Texas and Pacific Railroad pushed west from Fort Worth, towns began springing up along the tracks. Ranchers coming to the area took advantage of the vast grasslands, and the new arrival of settlers was the beginning of a town named Abilene. Deriving its namesake from the town of Abilene, Kansas, the locals hoped the city would become a shipping point for cattle on their way to eastern markets. The town has since grown to be one of West Texas's most thriving metropolitan areas. The city--which is home to Dyess Air Force Base--is also well known for its numerous parks, schools, universities, and historic neighborhoods that are enjoyed by its 120,000 residents.
Abilene History in Plain Sight is a guide to the people, places, and events that define Abilene. It provides the high vantage point from which you come to know the lives behind the names--Cooper High School, Shotwell Stadium, and Maxwell Golf Course--and to meet those who are honored by the naming of a park or street (such as Egbert Kirby, Nelson Wilson, Vera Minter, and Walker Ely). In this engaging book, the past is picked up, dusted off, and given a new shine. As you learn the story behind the church, school, or college that you drive past, it will create a connection that serves to endear Abilene to you more deeply. This is a book that brings the relics of the past out of the dark and straight into the hometown in your heart.
A comprehensive survey of the doctrine and practice of baptism in the first five centuries of Christian history, arranged geographically within chronological periods.
"The history of football at Abilene Christian University is about more than wins and losses. It’s about shaping young men into great husbands, loving fathers, and community pillars. In their days as Wildcats, the players in ACU’s football history left their mark on the program and the university. Wildcat Football is about games played, championships won, coaches who taught more than football, friendships forged, and men and women who provided the program with the resources to attain greatness...These stories and more are explored feature-style in Wildcat Football. With contributions from coaches and longtime supporters of ACU Athletics, this book relives the proud history and the greatest moments of Abilene Christian University football." -- Publisher's website.
The extremely varied geography of Texas, ranging from lush piney woods to arid, mountainous deserts, has played a major role in the settlement and development of the state. To gain full perspective on the influence of the land on the people of Texas, you really have to take to the air—and the authors of Historic Texas from the Air have done just that. In this beautiful book, dramatic aerial photography provides a complete panorama of seventy-three historic sites from around the state, showing them in extensive geographic context and revealing details unavailable to a ground-based observer. Each site in Historic Texas from the Air appears in a full-page color photograph, accompanied by a concise description of the site's history and importance. Contemporary and historical photographs, vintage postcard images, and maps offer further visual information about the sites. The book opens with images of significant natural landforms, such as the Chisos Mountains and the Big Thicket, then shows the development of Texas history through Indian spiritual sites (including Caddo Mounds and Enchanted Rock), relics from the French and Spanish occupation (such as the wreck of the Belle and the Alamo), Anglo forts and methods of communication (including Fort Davis and Salado's Stagecoach Inn), nineteenth-century settlements and industries (such as Granbury's courthouse square and Kreische Brewery in La Grange), and significant twentieth-century locales, (including Spindletop, the LBJ Ranch, and the Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport). For anyone seeking a visual, vital overview of Texas history, Historic Texas from the Air is the perfect place to begin.
