News Around Texas

Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, served as First Lady of the United States from 1963-1969, but she remained the beloved “First Lady of Texas” for the rest of her life. December 22 was her birthday.

There was nothing Lady Bird Johnson loved better than wildflowers, so it was fitting that the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin opened to the public in 1982 on her 70th birthday. Lady Bird, herself, conceived the idea of a national center for the study of wildflowers and native plants and the preservation of the ecology.

If you’re in the Austin area, the national Wildflower Research Center is well worth a visit!

Here are two holiday displays you won’t want to miss!

December 9-10, 2011

6-9 pm

Candlelight at the Ranch, an annual event at the National Ranching Heritage Center on Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, captures the traditional spirit of a pioneer Christmas. Step back in time as you walk along paths lit with luminarias. Enjoy the songs cowboys might have shared around a campfire on the open prairie over a century ago. Or warm up with hot cider and fresh popcorn as historical interpreters trim the tree with homemade decorations.

The event is free, but donations to are welcome. For more information, call (806) 742-0498.

November 23-January 1

A feature city in the annual Trail of Lights that reaches through the Pineywoods into northern Louisiana, the Wonderland of Lights in Marshall, Texas is the granddaddy of them all!

Crowned with over 10 million lights, the display begins the night before Thanksgiving and lasts through New Year’s Day.

It’s never too late to take a family drive through Marshall.

Christmas time is always a good time to schedule a trip to San Antonio!

First stop–Paseo del Rio. The downtown river walk transforms into a holiday festival of lights and sounds during la Fiesta de las Luminarias each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday December 1-18. Boatloads of carolers drift through the twinkling reflection of colored lights draped from centuries-old trees as you stroll, shop, and sample delicious foods from a variety of cultures. Check the River Walk website for coupons and details.

While you’re there, why not enjoy the Institute of Texan Cultures? No matter where your family came from or how long ago you arrived in Texas, you’ll find a tribute to your cultural contribution at this interactive museum dedicated to telling the stories of Texans.

Of course, a visit to the San Antonio missions is always interesting. Plan your trip to include not only the Alamo, but also Missions San Jose, San Juan, Conception, and San Francisco de la Espada. San Antonio visitor information will help you plan your trip.

And finally, my personal favorite! No trip to San Antonio is as memorable as it could be without a visit to the Guenther House, home of Pioneer Flour Mills. Every item on their breakfast, lunch, and brunch menu has passed the tests of time and taste. While you wait, you can tour the historic home that houses the restaurant, browse their enticing gift shop, or simply enjoy the gardens that overlook the San Antonio River and King William district.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate the holidays Texas-style, look into the Wonderland of Lights in Marshall, now in its 25th year or the Paseo del Rio and Fiesta de las Luminarias along the San Antonio Riverwalk!

your family might enjoy a weekend of hiking and camping in the Guadalupe Mountains.

You could also hike to see the native Texans’ Rock Art. There are actually tours at many locations in far west Texas and in the western regions of the South Texas Plains, so you’ll need to check the calendar to find a convenient date and place.

Visit Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Museum, part of the Ysleta del Sur Cultural Center in historic El Paso or contact Camel Treks and Camel Corp Re-enactments and get in on a Big Bend adventure!

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin is one of my favorites—a field trip that’s sure to get students interested in the adventure of learning their state history. Lots to see, hear, touch, explore…even an IMAX!

Several selections in San Antonio run a very close second. (I LOVE San Antonio—something that will probably become obvious as you read this blog.) If you are able to plan a Texas History field trip over a long weekend, you wouldn’t run out of things to see and do! Of course there’s the Alamo and four other historic Spanish missions. (Check the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for information.) Perhaps less well known is the Institute of Texas Cultures, displaying the best aspects of all the many people groups who now call themselves Texans. And the The Witte Museum has an excellent walk-through diorama depicting the geographical regions of our state, as well as a display of Texas’ first nations—the indigenous tribes.

This region also features:

• Cascade Caverns
• Caverns of Sonora
• Cave without a Name
• Inner Space Caverns
• Longhorn Caverns
• and Natural Bridge Caverns
• as well as many non-profit, private caves.

If that’s not enough, a fair number of forts such as Fort Martin Scott in Fredericksburg make for happy wandering.

…you’ve got a great choice of field trips with deep significance to Texas history. Explorers, missionaries, and revolutionary colonists converged here, and you can see where the action took place!

Replicas of Columbus’ ships, courtesy of Ships of Discovery, can be toured in Corpus Christi harbor. Though Columbus never made it as far as the mainland of Texas, these ships are typical of those that brought other explorers in the Age of Exploration. I was amazed at their small size! Not sure I’d want to cross uncharted oceans in such a small craft…

You could also visit:

The Texas Maritime Museum in Rockport also houses artifacts from LaSalle’s ship in their exhibit, The LaSalle Odyssey. Other Odyssey member museums include:

Matagorda County Museum (Bay City)

Corpus Christi Museum of Science and Natural History (Corpus Christi)

Texana Museum (Edna)

Calhoun County Museum (Port Lavaca)

Museum of the Coastal Bend (Victoria) and

Palacios Area Historical Association (Palacios), and La Petite Belle, a half-scale reconstruction in Palacios home port.

Free maps and pamphlets, available from A Shared Experience, could form the basis of a week-end driving tour of the earliest Spanish colonies, or you might choose a Texas Independence tour. Of course, Presidio La Bahia at Goliad, the San Jacinto Museum of History in La Porte, and the Star of the Republic Museum and Independence Hall at Washington-on-the-Brazos are great places to introduce students to the sweeping saga of our state.

If you prefer something even more interactive, try the Barrington Living History Farm near Washington-on-the-Brazos, Liendo Plantation in Hempstead, or the George Ranch Historical Park at Richmond.

…you’ll be pleased to know that field trips don’t have to be expensive.

Since East Texas was the cradle of colonization, several of our earliest historical sites are preserved through state parks or universities in your area.

Try:

• Caddoan Mounds near Alto
• Mission Tejas State Park in Grapeland
• the Stone Fort Museum and El Camino Real exhibit at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches
• or the East Texas Oil Museum in Kilgore

…my best field trip suggestions would be:

• Frontier Texas!, an award-winning, interactive history museum in Abilene

• Waco Mammoth Site and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco

• The Texas Civil War Museum in Fort Worth

In addition, you can order an excellent brochure, Texas Forts Trail, free of charge from the Texas Historical Commission. The ruins at Fort Phantom Hill are a favorite of mine!

…you are have many great field trips nearby!

The play, TEXAS LEGACIES, is an annual summer tradition in the Palo Duro Canyon.  In my opinion it’s well worth the cost and effort, and is a fine way to get kids excited about their state’s history or make sure your school year ends with “a bang instead of a fizzle.” The show runs through the summer season, but seats fill quickly! It’s not too early to begin planning to attend.

Until then, you can enjoy a number of other field trips in your area:

• Lubbock Lake Landmark
• The Brazos River Journey display at The Science Spectrum in Lubbock
• Adobe Walls Historical Battleground
• Fort Concho in San Angelo
• XIT Museum in Dalhart
• National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock
• The American Wind Power Center and Windmill Museum (also in Lubbock)
• Panhandle Plains Historical Museum—Canyon
• Permian Basin Petroleum Museum—Midland