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Monday, September 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM

This Week in Texas History

The last days of Sam Houston
The last days of Sam Houston

Speaking in public for the last time on Mar. 18, 1863, Sam Houston told the citizens of the town that bore his name, “The welfare and glory of Texas will be the uppermost thought while the spark of life remains in this breast.”

03/13/2024 05:00 PM
Pancho Villa’s surprise attack on border town
Pancho Villa’s surprise attack on border town

THIS WEEK IN TEXAS HISTORY

03/06/2024 09:00 PM
Elvis comes to Texas and goes home the king
Elvis comes to Texas and goes home the king

Eighty-eight thousand paying customers packed the Astrodome on Mar. 3, 1974 for Elvis Presley’s two sold-out performances, his last at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

02/28/2024 09:00 PM
Congressmen pay price for anti-war stand
Congressmen pay price for anti-war stand

Jeff: McLemore, a feisty freshman congressman from Texas, butted heads with Woodrow Wilson on Feb. 17, 1916 over the president’s about-face toward the European war. Though surprised by the violent eruption of ancient antagonisms in 1914, most Americans took only a passing interest in the distant conflict. Above all, they wanted no part of the foreign feud, a consensus that produced the presidential pronouncement the United States “must be neutral in fact as well as name.”

02/14/2024 09:00 PM
Waylon gave up his seat on Buddy’s last flight
Waylon gave up his seat on Buddy’s last flight

THIS WEEK IN TEXAS HISTORY

02/07/2024 09:00 PM
All-American leads SMU to final four
All-American leads SMU to final four
01/31/2024 09:40 PM
Houdini thrilled throngs of Texans
Houdini thrilled throngs of Texans

Following a weeklong engagement at the Majestic Theater, a cheering crowd saw Harry Houdini, escape artist extraordinaire, off at the Dallas train station on Jan. 24, 1916.

01/24/2024 10:30 PM
Life of cartoonist nothing to laugh about
Life of cartoonist nothing to laugh about

THIS WEEK IN TEXAS HISTORY

01/17/2024 09:00 PM
“Boy mayor” ponders bid for governor
“Boy mayor” ponders bid for governor

Minutes after the armed robbery of the downtown post office on Jan. 14, 1921, Dallas police and irate citizens led by the city’s “Boy Mayor” chased down and captured the perpetrators.

01/10/2024 09:00 PM
“Old Yeller” author couldn’t handle success
“Old Yeller” author couldn’t handle success

THIS WEEK IN TEXAS HISTORY

01/03/2024 10:10 PM
Broken date with Davy saved friend’s life
Broken date with Davy saved friend’s life

Davy Crockett spent Christmas Day 1835 at Nacogdoches waiting for Ben McCulloch, but when the younger Tennessean was a no-show, his hero went on without him to San Antonio.

12/20/2023 09:00 PM
Pitcher loses leg in hunting accident
Pitcher loses leg in hunting accident

Two weeks after the amputation of most of his right leg, Monty Stratton was released from the hospital on Dec. 13, 1938.

12/13/2023 09:00 PM
The no-hands wonder of the rodeo ring
The no-hands wonder of the rodeo ring

THISWEEK IN TEXAS HISTORY

12/06/2023 10:20 PM
Texas courtroom scene of historic trial
Texas courtroom scene of historic trial

On Nov. 24, 1923, a Fort Worth jury came back with a verdict in the federal fraud trial of disgraced explorer, Dr.

11/21/2023 10:00 PM
Quest for revenge ends in execution
Quest for revenge ends in execution

As the Texas Ranger lieutenant prepared to fight 150 or more Indians with only 18 men on Nov. 10, 1837, he must have questioned the wisdom of his reckless decision to part company with his captain, William Mosby Eastland.

11/08/2023 10:00 PM