History To Go

If you’ve ever spent much time in downtown Richmond and Rosenberg, you’ll know that trains are absolutely a part of every day life. So much so, in fact, that a train passes through downtown Richmond every 17 minutes. But what do yellow fever, quarantine and Galveston resident Henry J. Rosenberg have to do with train history in our county? Join Fort Bend Museum staff member Allison Harrell to learn more.

PLUS: Join us next month for our season one podcast finale!

Today, Fort Bend Museum staff member Allison Harrell is deep-diving into one of her favorite topics: Fibers and Cotton! Though it may sound dry at first, have you ever heard the myth about “tree sheep”? Would you classify the cotton plant as a fruit or vegetable? Or did you know that white is not the only color that cotton can naturally grow in? Listen in to learn more!

Today, we’re taking a look at the some of the amazing stories of black cowboys in our part of Texas. Fort Bend County in particular has a rich legacy of black cowboy heritage – including here at our own George Ranch Historical Park, where four generations of skilled black cowboys helped build the ranch into a successful Texas operation. Join Allison Harrell to hear the biographies of Peter Martin, Oscar "Lightning" Autry, James and Willie Thomas and more!

N. Doran Maillard might have been a British spy. Or he might have just been Richmond visitor who wasn't a big fan of Texas. At any rate, he was definitely an accomplished author who left behind some colorful stories from the time Texas was its own republic. Learn more with Fort Bend Museum staff member Allison Harrell in today's podcast!

This month's theme is "General Texas History," so instead of trying to cram ALL of Texas history into one episode, we're featuring favorite stories from four different staff members. Tune in to learn more about the Menger Hotel, the cat of the Alamo, Mary Rabb and Lizzie Johnson -- plus a special spotlight on suffragette Minnie Fisher Cunningham!

Join Allison Harrell to discover the events leading up to the Texas Revolution, including the Fredonia Rebellion and the Anahuac Disturbance. 

In today's podcast, you'll get to explore Texas colonization with J.R. Thomas, a living history interpreter at the George Ranch Historical Park in Richmond, Texas. J.R. portrays life as one of Stephen F. Austin's "Old 300" colonists and knows a great deal about what life would have been like as a pioneer during Texas' colonization period.

As historians, we hear a lot of stories. Some are inspirational, some are entertaining and some...well, some are just plain myths, lies and rumors! In this first episode of "History To Go," Allison Harrell will share some of those semi-questionable stories surrounding early Texas history. Brace yourself for what could very well be an entire pack of lies!