Archaeologists have determined that the ultimate cause of El Cuartelejo’s demise was fire, as testified by the remains of charred posts and corn seeds. The Comanches who later took up residence near the pueblo had a legend that the ruins were struck by lightning. In any case, for the next hundred years, the walls slowly crumbled and vanished, leaving the pueblo to be buried in … Continue reading El Cuartelejo: Rediscovery
The Pueblo Indians of New Mexico found themselves in frequent conflict with the Spanish conquistadors. The conquerors imprisoned or killed the native religious leaders, compelled the people to accept the religion of Spain at the point of the sword, and put them to work in labor camps. Repeated uprisings brought them little except bloody reprisals. Some Indians felt that it simply was not worthwhile to … Continue reading El Cuartelejo: A Place of Refuge
The singing cowboy is by no means a Hollywood invention. History records the fact that cowboys always sang, starting back when cattle trails began. At first, there were no true “cowboy songs.” Most cowboys just sang the good old folk songs that they had grown up with, ranging from mountain fiddle tunes like “Old Dan Tucker” to hymns and spirituals that are still familiar today. … Continue reading Why Cowboys Sang
Adjusting Livestock Production In an effort to reduce hog numbers, payments were also distributed to farmers who would destroy their piglets and pregnant sows. About 6 million piglets were slaughtered under the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA). A cattle-purchasing program was similarly implemented under the Drought Relief Service in areas where the Dust Bowl had hit the hardest. The federal government purchased approximately 7 million cattle, most … Continue reading The Agricultural Adjustment Act in the Great Plains: Part 2
Between 1929 and 1932, the net income of the average farm operator fell 69%. Prices for agricultural products were at their lowest since the 1890s. Wheat sold for only 25 cents per bushel. Much of this drop in prices was due to an agricultural surplus. Harvests had been bountiful before the drought hit, and a considerable amount of grassland had been converted to cropland to … Continue reading The Agricultural Adjustment Act in the Great Plains: Part 1
There is nothing Josh Bramlett wants more than a dog. And his father Eben has just the plan to make this dream come true! Scrub cattle run wild across Florida, just waiting to be rounded up and driven to market—a market hungry for beef in the days just after the Civil War. If you love inspiring your children with books based on real history, give … Continue reading Brave the Wild Trail
There are many reasons why Charles Jesse Jones could be an interesting person to read about. He grew up on the Illinois frontier when Abraham Lincoln was still a backwoods lawyer. He became a pioneer, a cowboy, and a rancher, but still lived a remarkably clean life, never touching caffeine, let alone spirits. He was a founding member of Garden City, Kansas. He rubbed elbows … Continue reading Buffalo Jones
What horse-loving child hasn’t devoured one of Marguerite Henry’s books? Henry wrote with enthusiasm and feeling, making her stories timeless masterpieces that are sure to touch the heart. While she has written many books that we could heartily recommend for readers of all ages, we have whittled down the list to ten of our absolute favorites. Looking for some summer reading? Try these. 10. … Continue reading Top 10 Marguerite Henry Books
Pike’s Peak and the Colorado Gold Rush—topics that are familiar to many. But did you know that Colorado Gold Rush is something of a misnomer? At the time, the gold rush was simply called the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, also a misnomer since the gold fields were about 85 miles north of the famous mountain. However, Pike’s Peak was an important landmark on the trail, … Continue reading The Kansas Gold Rush
Back in 2011, the Kansas Department of Commerce, Travel and Tourism Division, published a spectacular 160-page collection of best-of-Kansas scenes by the best Kansas photographers. This book, My Kansas: A Photographic Journey Across the Sunflower State, may now be easier to borrow than to buy. But if you can find a copy, by all means enjoy it. This beautiful book includes photos in the following … Continue reading My Kansas
