Barbara Jordan

Visitors waiting for their luggage on the bottom floor of the passenger terminal of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will see a bronze statue of a person after whom the terminal is named. That person is Barbara Jordan.

Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of a Baptist minister. Excelling in school studies and debate while growing up, she attended Texas Southern University, and later the law school at Boston University. Upon returning to Texas, she opened up a law practice in Houston.

Jordan became involved in politics soon after her return to Texas. An active volunteer in support of the Kennedy-Johnson ticket during the 1960 election, she went on to run for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in both 1962 and 1964. While she lost both times, she did not give up, and finally gained a seat in the Texas Senate, representing the area around her native Houston. The election victory was viewed as historic at the time, given that she was both an African-American and a woman.

During her years working as a state senator in Austin, she impressed her colleagues with her hard work and dedication to the causes in which she believed. After her successful career as a state senator, she ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1972, and was elected. It was during her tenure in Washington that she first came to national prominence.

Tirelessly supporting legislation designed to help the poor and disenfranchised, Jordan became an important voice in the impeachment proceedings of Richard Nixon. Despite her important impact in Washington, her health began to decline, and so she chose to return to Texas in the late 1970’s.

Jordan’s political career had a positive impact in both Texas, and the United States as a whole. As an African-American, and a woman, she was elected to political bodies, which at the time, had few representatives of either.

Jordan’s relationship with Austin began when she first served as a state senator, and this relationship was renewed upon her return to her home state, when she started teaching at the University of Texas. Upon her life’s passing, in 1996, she was buried in the exclusive Texas State Cemetery in Austin, and honor reserved only for those who have made important contributions to the State of Texas.

Austin Is Still Waiting For The Golden Spike

The Texas Hill Country is a positive place, so, my observations and commentary are most nearly always positive. But, as a historian, there are times when I have to “pull back on the reins,” and call things as I see them.

It was in 2004, when the voters of Austin, Texas, approved spending money to authorize a short thirty mile rail line to carry commuters from Leander south to downtown Austin. I won’t even get into the money spent, and the fact that the hours the train will run are basically just during rush times and nothing more. And, despite the fact the train is not even running yet, there has already been a fare increase. In my humble opinion, something is “asleep at the switch.”

As an observer, and commentator, here is what I have to offer on the matter. With apologies to the mysterious author Watty Piper, if he, she, or it really ever existed, the Austin rail project is The Little Engine That Could Not. Despite the fact that the actual rail was already in place, given that it is an existing freight line, it is now December 2009, coming up on two years since the original scheduled opening, and nearly six years after the vote, and still no train is running.

As a historian, here is what I have to offer on the matter. The Transcontinental Railroad, a span of over a thousand miles, was built in just six years between Iowa and California. There was no existing track, it was started in the midst of our momentous Civil War, and the engineering and logistical challenges across the frontier were enormous, especially over the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

As an observer, commentator, and historian, here is what I have to offer on the matter. Both the Austin Rail project and the Transcontinental Railroad took six years to complete. The Transcontinental Railroad was built from scratch and covered over a thousand miles. The Austin Rail project used an existing rail line and covered a little more than thirty miles. The Transcontinental Railroad spanned the Great Plains and mountain ranges. The Austin Rail project, well, to be kind, did not.

To sum it all up, in my humble opinion, if the Austin powers to be, were in charge of getting the Transcontinental Railroad built, we’d still be waiting, over 140 years later, for the golden spike to be driven into the rail bed in Promontory Summit, Utah. The circumstances speak for themselves.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the commuter rail. But, I would like to see the hours expanded, once this darn thing gets running, if it ever does. In any event, get that “golden spike” driven into the ground. In the meantime, we’re all waiting. The deserted passenger platforms, from Leander to downtown Austin, look a little sad at this point.

The Importance Of Austin In The Life Of O. Henry

William Sydney Porter, who was later to become very famous writing short stories under the pen name, O. Henry, was neither born in Austin, Texas, nor became well known for his writing while living in the city, but there is no doubt that his years living in Austin shaped his life in an extraordinary way.

William Porter was born in North Carolina in 1862, and while he was still a teenager, became a licensed pharmacist. In a time period when the disease tuberculosis (then called consumption) took many lives, many people from the eastern part of the United States who were afflicted, or thought they were, travelled west thinking that the drier air would help their condition. Such was the case with Porter, who moved to Texas in 1882 after developing a cough.

For the first few years in the state, he worked on a ranch a considerable distance south of Austin. While on the ranch, he performed a host of odd jobs, but also spent considerable time reading. As with many good writers, Porter was first and foremost a reader.

In the mid-1880’s, he made his way to Austin. In the ensuing 16 years he lived in Austin, he held many jobs, including as a draftsman at the Government Land Office meticulously drawing maps, and as the publisher of a newspaper he started called The Rolling Stone. The shaping of his destiny, however, came from neither one of these jobs, but, from other events, which subsequently occurred in Austin.

Among the happiest events in Porter’s life were his marriage to Athol Estes, and then, the subsequent birth of his daughter, Margaret. The later events, and the most unpleasant, were the circumstances around him being charged and convicted of embezzlement from an Austin bank (many think the charges were without merit), where he worked as a teller, and, the death of his wife from tuberculosis.

Upon his embezzlement conviction, he was sentenced to several years in prison, and was transported to a penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio, to serve those years. Given his pharmacy license, and his knowledge of pharmaceuticals, he was assigned to the hospital ward of the dismal prison, where he had plenty of time to write. Ashamed of his conviction, Porter began writing in prison under the pen name, O. Henry.

His many stories, published while he was in prison, became quite popular. By the time he was released from prison in 1902, he was quite a successful author. He continued that success when he moved to New York City, where he published many more short stories, known for their plot twists and ironic endings. The most notable of these stories, are the “The Gift of the Magi,” and “The Ransom of Red Chief.”

His heavy drinking, which first became apparent during the Austin days, became even more pronounced after his release from prison. Despite his literary success, he died broke in 1910, when he was just 47 years old. His death came as the direct result of his heavy alcohol consumption.

His daughter, Margaret, also became a writer and a promoter of her father’s memory after his death. Unfortunately, she too, like her mother, died relatively early in life of tuberculosis, and was buried next to her father in O. Henry’s birth state of North Carolina.

O. Henry’s home in Austin is a well preserved museum, with many of the original furnishings still present. Managed by the City of Austin, it is located downtown on East Fifth Street, although its original location was a little over a block away on Fourth Street. Today, the land which was the site of the home on Fourth Street is taken up by a hotel. There is no charge to get into the museum, and the museum employee who took me through the house was unbelievably knowledgeable about O.Henry’s entire life (not just the Austin events), his family, the house, and his writings. She was very thorough in her answers to my questions, and I was extremely impressed. While you should expect this from any docent at a historical site, such is not always the case.

Thus, while Austin was the home to O. Henry for only a third of his life, the experiences which took place in the city were exceptionally important to him. These events, both good and bad, although transpiring over a relatively short period of time in his life, shaped who he became, and served as the catalyst for him being one of the great short story writers of all time. That’s an irony that O. Henry would have appreciated.

The State Park Within A City

When you think of a state park, you think of a place where people go to escape the city and the pressures of daily life. But, in Texas, there is actually a state park where you can escape the city and stress, but still be in the city itself. I’m not talking about a state historical site, but a real state park with woods, water, fishing, scenic views, hiking and biking trails. As you might expect, that park would be found in Austin, a city which prides itself on keeping it “weird.”

McKinney Falls State Park is located on Austin’s southeast side. The park is named for Thomas McKinney, who came to Texas in the 1820’s, and years later, established a homestead, bred race horses, and built a flour mill along Onion Creek. Historical remnants of his life are still present in the park, in the form of his home and his horse trainer’s cabin.

There is an interpretive center, and the park also provides activities you would normally expect in a state park. There is camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, and many nice places for a picnic. In addition, however, you’ll find biking trails (so important for Austin’s active biking community), a dining hall which may be rented, an amphitheater, and wireless internet access.

In this, the beginning day of Thanksgiving Week 2009, under clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid-70’s, I was delighted that the park was crowded with school children, who, it appeared to me, were learning to fish for the first time. It was obvious, as lines, hooks, and fishing bobbers, were strewn among the limbs of the bald oak cypress trees lining the banks of Onion Creek. While I saw no fish being brought to shore, it looked like everyone was having a great time, me included.

For those living in Austin, Texas, there are advantages, not the least of which, is being able to “get away” without having to leave the city itself.

Zilker Botanical Gardens

There is no lack of things to do in Austin, Texas to be sure. But, whether you are an Austin native or a visitor to the city, one place that has to be visited is Zilker Botanical Gardens.

The recent history begins in the 1940’s and 1950’s, when several local garden clubs began raising money and supporting the idea to create the gardens. Finally, in 1964, the gardens were first opened, in cooperation with the City of Austin, which dedicated the land for the site.

This is a relaxing place to spend a couple of hours. The parking lot is relatively small, so it is best to go during the week rather than on a weekend. If you have no choice but to visit on a weekend, you’ll spend a couple of times circling the scenic tropical and sub-tropical flora which line the parking lot, waiting for someone to leave before finding a place to park. If that is stressful in any way, you need not worry. Once you start walking through the gardens that tension will melt away.

The 31 acres of gardens are segmented, by theme, and are connected by walkways. There are gardens dedicated to native plants, cacti, herbs, and roses. In addition, there is the gorgeous Isamu Taniguchi Japanese Garden, replete with bamboo and koi ponds.

And, if you like a little more adventure, the Hartman Prehistoric Garden will provide that. Recently discovered dinosaur tracks have shown that these creatures once walked the land where the gardens now reside. The Hartman Garden replicates the Cretaceous period, with plants originating in the Jurassic period mixed in. The dinosaur which left its tracks in Zilker Park over 65 million years ago was the Ornithomimus. In its honor, a sculpture of the dinosaur is found within this "prehistoric" garden.

And what, you may ask, does the “Zilker” of Zilker Botanical Gardens have to do with any of this? Well, a lot it seems, but not going back millions of years. Andrew Zilker came to the area as a teenager in the mid-1800’s from the Midwest. Working as a dishwasher initially, he eventually became the owner of a business which manufactured ice. This proved to be quite a lucrative specialty in Austin’s hot climate. As a result, Zilker became quite a wealthy and influential person in the area, and bought up land along the Colorado River, some of which he eventually donated to the City of Austin and which includes what is now the botanical park.

It is remarkable how ancient dinosaurs, a teenager seeking to make his way in life, and several garden clubs can make the world more enjoyable for all of us. But they all did. Just visit Zilker Botanical Gardens, and you’ll understand what I mean.

Veterans Day In the Texas Hill Country – November 11

The recent tragic events at Fort Hood here in Texas, should remind us once again of the sacrifices veterans have made, and continue to make, in both the defense of our nation and in the support of the freedoms we enjoy.

Soon after the end of World War I, the so-called “War to End All Wars,” nations who had participated in the bloody conflict, began observing the specific day and time the armistice was signed, November 11, 1918, at 11:00 in the morning. In the United States, “Armistice Day,” was officially recognized as a national holiday, and was initially only a remembrance of the end of World War I and the veterans of that war.

In 1954, the national holiday was officially changed to “Veterans Day,” a change no doubt made to recognize the large numbers of new veterans who had served during World War II and the Korean War. Later, for a relatively brief period of time, the holiday was moved to the fourth Monday in October, in order to give those who get the day off a three day weekend. Common sense finally prevailed, and the day of national recognition was moved back to November 11th of every year.

Since the very first “Armistice Day” was recognized, the numbers of veterans have increased in every generation. After World War II, came the veterans of the “Cold War,” Korea, Vietnam and Southeast Asia, El Salvador, Grenada, Panama, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq. And these are just the “major” conflicts since World War II. This list does not take into account all the smaller conflicts or the many other peacetime veterans serving faithfully in assignments in the United States or more distant places around the world. Nor, does the list take into account the veterans of the numerous conflicts prior to World War I.

Wherever veterans served, whatever time period they served, or whatever job they performed in the service of our country, they all deserve our respect and gratitude for their service. Many Texas Hill Country towns have statues honoring veterans in the town square, and veteran celebrations will be held throughout the hill country, as they always are, on November 11th.

There are thousands of monuments and statues recognizing our veterans in large cities, small towns, and cemeteries across the nation. Many of these monuments show heroic veterans depicted in battle. As a citizen, veteran, and historian of this great country, I’ve greatly appreciated every veteran monument I’ve ever seen, and I'm inspired by every one of them.

The monument most moving to me, however, is located in the small hill country town of Jonestown, Texas. At Veterans Memorial Park, the monument does not highlight heroic battle scenes or dramatic flag raisings over a battle-scarred landscape, but rather the statue of a single serviceman, sitting alone with his duffle bag, waiting to go home upon the completion of military service to our nation. And, except for those brave veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, this is a monument which best reflects the average veteran who has served this country in either war or peace. The veteran left home, served our country, and then returned home. That’s something every living veteran can relate to.

The important veterans in my life are numerous. From my Dad, and his World War II generation, through the veterans of my generation, and now the veterans of more recent times, please remember them all on this Veterans Day. They are a relatively small group compared with the large population of our country, and they all deserve our respect for the many sacrifices they have made on our behalf.

On at least this one day of the year, please thank a veteran for his or her service. They will appreciate it, and you'll feel great after having done it.

Angelina Eberly

There is a statue of a woman firing a cannon on downtown Austin’s main street, Congress Avenue, which probably confuses the thousands of visitors coming to Austin for conventions, to party, and in the local parlance, to help keep “Austin Weird.”

Austin is the capital of the state of Texas, and was once the capital of the Republic of Texas. But, it almost lost that distinction in 1842, had it not been for the courage of a lady who ran a boarding house in Austin.

As the story goes, there was a lot of contention about where the capital should be located. Sam Houston, the first president, felt it should be located in, you guessed it, Houston. Others thought it should be in a more central location in Texas. This was the view of the second president, Mirabeau B. Lamar, who had the capital established in Austin.

When Sam Houston was again elected president, he attempted to relocate the capital to Houston by ordering over 20 men to covertly remove the archives from Austin. They nearly pulled it off, but they had not figured on one woman added into the mix, Angelina Eberly.

Hearing the noises of men loading the archives into wagons, she ran out and fired the town cannon. The cannon ball slammed into the land office building across the street. The town awoke, and those attempting to flee with the documents were quickly apprehended.

Today, Austin is a city of over a quarter of a million people. In addition to being the state capital, it is also the “Live Music Capital of the World,” and home to the University of Texas.

When Mrs. Eberly fired the town cannon, Austin’s population was less than 700 people. I often wonder, had that vigilant woman on that December night in 1842 not fired that weapon, how Austin would have fared. My guess is that Austin would not have a population of 750,000 people today and not have all that music downtown on Sixth Street.

Anyone care to disagree?

I thought not, otherwise, you’ll have to take it up with Mrs. Eberly. Good luck with that.