Category Archives: Historical tidbits

Airships

The week of April 13-19 was exciting throughout the country in 1897. Or scary. Or humorous, depending on one’s viewpoint. Countless sightings of “airships” were reported that week. The media of the day, newspapers, had a field day with tongue-in-cheek … Continue reading

Posted in Historical tidbits, North Texas History | 1 Comment

The Historian’s Historian

If you have ever checked out the acknowledgements in a non-fiction book, particularly a history volume, you will find that the author credits at least one archivist for help. It is virtually impossible to write a credible history without visiting … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits, Research Tips | 2 Comments

Street Names

Although I have written about Greenville street names in the past, I had a request recently to rehash the subject. First of all, it is important to know that the town of Greenville was located and lots sold in January … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits | Leave a comment

Spring on the Blackland Prairie

Imagine you lived east of the Mississippi River between 1820 and 1840. You have heard of the fabulous land for sale cheap in a place called Texas. The U. S. Congress recently stopped purchase of unclaimed land on credit. To … Continue reading

Posted in Historical tidbits, North Texas History | Leave a comment

Local Ads

Since I spend an inordinate amount of time reading old newspapers, scanning the ads, and catching up on the local gossip of a century ago, I would like to share some of my favorites finds. Newspapers from 19th century Greenville … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits | Leave a comment

Gladys Yoakum Wright

I would like to make a suggestion to the Powers That Be in Greenville. We have a lovely lady who contributed much to the aura of the State of Texas, but who is absolutely unknown in these parts of the … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits | 1 Comment

High Winds and Wild Fires

The spring of 1916 was typical of Texas weather. No rain and high winds seared the countryside and towns alike. The lack of rainfall and potential for a prolonged drought sent cotton markets in New Orleans and New York teetering. … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits, North Texas History | 1 Comment

Dr. Robert Sayle’s Mysterious Patients

Did the Younger Gang stay in Greenville for a time with relatives following the Civil War? That’s a debate that arose a few days ago on Facebook. It is known that an ancestor of the late Bob Younger owned the … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits, North Texas History | 1 Comment

More About Gumbo and Other Rip-Rap

Oops! I made a couple of mistakes in a recent blog post. Sometimes I do that with oral history. It wasn’t critical; I just didn’t ask enough questions. If you recall I wrote about the Gumbo Pits found in Hunt … Continue reading

Posted in Greenville, Historical tidbits, North Texas History | Leave a comment

Physical Aspects of the New Deal in Texas

The East Texas Historical Association holds two conferences each year. The fall meeting is always held in Nacogdoches, self-proclaimed oldest city in the state. The spring meeting is held in other sites throughout East Texas. Both are always a lot … Continue reading

Posted in Historical tidbits, North Texas History | Leave a comment