treasure

He who has the gold, makes the rules

Stories of lost gold have long dominated Texas lore. Coronado looped around what’s now the Texas Panhandle in search of it. And there’s that allegedly lost gold mine in the Guadalupe Mountains of far west Texas.

Texas Standard commentator WF Strong has had his own experience with reportedly lost treasure. And he recalls another story of lost gold.

The Port Mansfield Cut and the treasure discovered there

Running from Corpus Christi to near Brownsville, Padre Island is the longest barrier island in the world. Up until the late 1950s, you could drive the entire 113 miles of the island if you had a vehicle with decent four-wheel drive. That option was blocked in 1957 when the Port Mansfield Cut was dredged. The waterway had been a dream of Laguna Madre locals for decades. Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong tells us how the island was split and what was found.

The Afterlife of Antiques

Antique stores dot the Texas landscape – often taking over old gas stations or restaurants – and filled past the brim with the belongings of yesteryear. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: August 4, 2015

In a town best known for its fruitcakes, door to door raids and detentions send shockwaves and raise questions. The story today on the Texas Standard. It’s the final countdown: who’ll be in the top 10 for the GOP debate? Another question: does the method add up? Also: a possible tipping point in reducing cow’s contribution to climate change. But will farmers and ranchers buy it? Plus, we’ll meet the Indiana Jones of Texas… who tells us there’s still Spanish gold in them there hills: