Anne Dingus
Features
The Answers
This is Only a Test
One hundred simple questions—well, not that simple— stand between you and Texas literacy.
A Texas Survival Kit
What to do if you're bitten by fire ants, lost in the wilderness, sprayed by a skunk, attacked by a shark, stuck in a lightning storm, swept away by a riptide, or caught in any of eleven other worst-case scenarios.
Blazing Brushstrokes
Growing up, I read scores of pulpy paperback westerns with good-guy-bad-guy action—and it was their amazing covers in gaudy, manly hues that roped me in.
Big Shots
In the sixties, when stars like the Beatles, Dinah Shore, and Marlene Dietrich descended on Dallas, Peggie and John Mazziotta captured them on film.
Little Town on the Prairie
Where else in Texas can you see a Picasso, a classic courthouse, and one of the most famous ranches in the country, along with an outdoor theatrical performance that’s equal parts kitsch and civic pride? If you haven’t been to Albany, get your fandangle in gear.
Cover Girls
From Ann on a Harley to Anna Nicole on a Bum Steer binge, we present our fifty favorite Texas Monthly issues with a female face.
It Came A-Pun a Midnight Clear
Before you start wrapping presents, here's a gift from us to you: a Texas-holiday-themed crossword puzzle. Sharpen your pencil and get a clue.
Lights Out
Most of the lighthouses that once kept watch over the Texas Gulf Coast have vanished, victims of time and the modern world. Yet a few romantic relics remain.
Dead Line
Indians slain by settlers and vice versa. Lynchings and shoot-outs. Poisonings and dismemberings. Assassinations and massacres. Our past three hundred years or so have been, uh, colorful. A fond look back at the murder and mayhem.
Even Cowgirls Get Their Due
On June 7 the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame opens in - where else? - Cowtown. So saddle up and mosey on over to this tribute to such illustrious women of the West as Tad Lucas, Dale Evans, and Sandra Day O'Connor.
Yee-ha!
From cornball classics to rousing rib-ticklers, these two hundred Texas jokes are definitely on us.
Tex Education, Part 4
Can you keep up with the state's most famous Joneses? Get to the bottom of this burning question—and 21 others—by taking the final installment of my Texas literacy test.
Tex Education, Part 3
What tall Texan dated top actress during Hollywood's heyday? Find out the answer-and other Lone Star lore-by taking the penultimate installment of my literacy test.
Old-Fashioned Texas
Texas is changing before our eyes, but fried pies, drive-in movie theaters, and other vestiges of earlier days are all around. To find these treasures, we risked life, limb, and cholesterol count-and had a blast from the past.
Tex Education, Part 2
In 1883, being caught with what everyday object could have gotten you killed? Find out the answer, along with 24 other equally fascinating tidbits, in the second installment of my Texas-literacy test.
Tex Education
Who exactly was Cabeza de Vaca? Why did Texas revolutionaries shout, “Remember Goliad”? Sharpen your pencils for Part I of my four-part Texas literacy test.
50 Things Every Texan Should Do
Have you gotten lost in the Big Thicket? Attended a South Texas pachanga? Whether you’re a newcomer or a native, following these suggestions will give you a crash course in all things Texas—and one heck of a good time.
The Twelve Months of Christmas
Kitschy calendars that say "Feliz Navidad."
The Searcher
Photographer Kurt Markus spent years tracking down modern working cowboys for his new book, Cowpuncher. He corralled the genuine article at several Texas spreads.
Whodunit? Who Cares?
Anne Dingus has a few bones to pick with the modern mystery novel, which she says has been decomposing in recent years. Stepping up to defend the genre: none other than Texas' queen of murder and mayhem, Mary Willis Walker.
This Place Is A Zoo
Want to get up close and personal with kudus and kangaroos, tigers and toucans, okapi and orangutans? We're especially fauna these zoos, the ten best in the state.
Cameron Park Zoo, Waco
Texas Zoo, Victoria
San Antonio Zoo
Houston Zoo
El Paso Zoo
Austin Zoo
Scholarship • Jacques Barzun
Man of the centuries.
Theater • Roger Horchow
A Tony guy.
Great Escapes
From a boutique hotel in hip South Austin to a bed-and-breakfast across the Mexican border, from fly fishing on the Llano River to bathing in the Chinati Hot Springs, 33 getaways the guidebooks don’t tell you about, courtesy of our intrepid staff of weekend warriors.
Can Doodle
From the fabulous, furry Gilbert Shelton to the hypercaffeinated Shannon Wheeler, these celebrated Texas cartoonists will surely draw you in.
Mission Collectible
Cuff links? A commemorative plate? For Alamo hobbyists like me, rule number one is, Never surrender or retreat from the chance to snag a few iconic tchotchkes.
Annie, Get Your Gals!
Various specimens of that celebrated species, the Texas woman, captured on film by photographer Annie Leibovitz, who used to be one herself.
Books • Louis Sachar
Children’s writes.
Photography • Kate Breakey
Artist of the portrait.
Speed, Queen
Austin painter Julie Speed is the latest ascendant to the ranks of art royalty. Talk about a brush with greatness.
What Is the Panhandle?
The Plainsman
No one captures the majesty and mystique of wide-open spaces like photographer Peter Brown.
Shops
Elegant antebellum furniture in Jefferson, Latin American folk art in Smithville: Where the buys are in two dozen communities.
Townsfolk
La Grange’s Mr. Barbecue, the police chief of Athens: Fifteen local characters with, er, character.
There’s Something About Weeping Mary
An East Texas community’s simple charms, captured on film.
The Book Repository
Essential reading on the Kennedy assassination.
Leon’s Lens
In the Central Texas town of Seguin, Leon Kubala has been documenting life and death for more than fifty years, one picture at a time.
FASHION • Tom Ford
Man makes the clothes.
War Games
In the suddenly trendy world of World War II wannabes, these Texans are big guns.
Dove Shoot
Ten years after the filming of the miniseries Lonesome Dove, screenwriter Bill Wittliff shares his photographic memories of life on the set.
Searching for Santa
This time of year, Yule find him hanging around East Texas: On lawns and roofs, he’s a Claus célèbre.
El Circo
As in Hanoi and Moscow, the circus in Mexico is no three-ring extravaganza. It’s one of the grittiest shows on earth.
Performing Arts • Jo Long
Culturally centered.
Literature • Angela Shelf Medearis
Doing the write thing.
The Way We Wore
From buckskin to polyester, a look at 166 years of Texas fashion that doesn’t skirt the issues.
Range Rover
After fifty years of traveling the Southwest, ranch photographer Frank Reeves left behind a vast body of work and unforgettable portraits of the cowboy’s way of life.
Brentfield Elementary
With a private-school atmosphere, involved parents, and a veteran principal and faculty, this Richardson school makes the most of its many blessings.
¡Bravo!
A new exhibit in San Marcos pays homage to Manuel Alvarez Bravo, the grandfather of Mexican photography, and the generations of fotógrafos who followed his lead.
Her Three Sons
For the Wilsons of Dallas, taking pictures was a family affair. Today the mother is a successful photographer and her boys are hot Hollywood commodities. Here’s a look at Laura Wilson’s personal album.
Buckle Up
The rodeo belt buckle is prized by cowboys and collectors alike. By the look of these handcrafted samples, it’s easy to see why.
Where the Wild Things Are
One of the country’s top photographers traveled around his home state to capture these stunning portraits of exotic animals on display.
The Last Picture Shows
A loving look back at nine grand old movie houses from the golden age of small-town Texas.
Cheap Thrills
From “Lone State Doom” to “Land of Violent Men,” a look back at Texas’ classic pulp fiction.
Brush With Fame
As a curator and in his own work as a painter, Jerry Bywaters left a lasting legacy of Texas art.
More Colorful Texas Sayings…
Come hell or high water, you’ll want to read our compilation of down-home aphorisms.
Meanwhile, Back at the Cadillac Ranch
It’s not just another roadside attraction—here’s to a lasting monument of Texas kitsch.
Animal Writes
Eight indigenous authors, nine native critters: A bookish look at the wildest, woolliest creatures in Texas history.
A Texas-Style Christmas: Feast Meets West
If traditional holiday meals leave you hungry for something new, you’ll devour the dishes that Dallas chef Dean Fearing has prepared.
Dead Again
Get your masks on; put on your dancing shoes. It’s time for Mexico’s Day of the Dead, one of the liveliest celebrations around.
Waxing Nostalgic
Fashion designers are betting the ranch on new Western shirts with styles inspired by Hollywood, not history.
Hot Shot
Haven’t heard of Geof Kern, Texas’ most famous photographer? You must live here.
Wish We Were There
Vintage Texas postcards depict larger-than-life views in hyper hues.
Ernest Tubb Goes Electric
The great polka boycott, Willie’s Sunday school status, the cold trugh abour Vanilla Ice, and other notable moments in Texas Music.
Texas Primer: The Windmill
But for this ever-so-practical invention, Texas history as we know it would be gone with the wind.
Eat Sweet
Peanut patties are red, raspas are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are pralines, pecan pie, kolaches, and seven other great Texas desserts.
Texas Primer: King Ranch Casserole
What kind of dish would a Texas clubwoman invent? One that’s not too greasy, not too spicy, and, well, sort of tasteful.
Texas Primer: The Dust Storm
Look out, Texas! If drought comes, can tons of blowing dirt be far behind?
Texas Primer: The Hi Sign
The laid-back Texas way of saying howdy on the road.
Texas Primer: Barbed Wire
It spelled the end of the open range and the beginning of modern Texas.
Texas Primer: Christmas on the Range
Yes, Virginia Sue, Texas really does have its own holiday traditions.
Texas Primer: The Water Tower
Sure it means water. It also means pride.
Texas Primer: The Horny Toad
It’s everybody’s favorite reptile, and it’s disappearing from Texas.
Texas Primer: The Tumbleweed
It’s only a humble weed, but just try to imagine West Texas without it.
Columns | Miscellany
Let Me Call You Sweet-Tart
I’m in love with you, cherry lime.
Critters And Fritters
You’d love my collection of vintage Texas cookbooks. Just don’t ask me to cook from them.
Making Up Is Hard to Do
How the cosmetically challenged among us manage to save face.
Message In a Bottle
Blondness—natural or otherwise— is even more Texan than Big Hair.
Mentionables
From bullet bras to panties emblazoned with the Lone Star flag, a brief history of women’s underwear in Texas.
The Rat Unpacks
I've been collecting vintage Texana since I was ten years old, and believe me, I've got loads. But it's time to sell.
Going For the Jiggler
Explaining the enduring appeal of Jell-O can be as challenging as, well, nailing it to a tree.
Siege Mentality
With March 6 fast approaching, let's doff our coonskin caps to the Serious Alamo Guys, a band of mostly Anglo, mostly bearded, mostly fifty-plus historians who are Bowie-knife sharp on the subject of the mythic battle.
Cottage Industry
For decades, family-run motels looked after weary travelers all across Texas. And who looked after the families who ran them? The Temple-based Tourist Court Journal.
All's Fair
For 117 years, the State Fair of Texas has been part parade, part carnival, part livestock show, part museum—and all fun.
The Pet Set
LBJ's dogs and Dale Evans' horse are among the most famous four-legged friends in Texas history. But can you name the only pig in the Texas Animal Hall of Fame?
Wild Things
My siblings and I had plenty of pets growing up, but they were never quite as exciting as those we caught ourselves, such as tarantulas. And garden snakes. And of course, horny toads.
Brands That I Love
When I was a kid, my grandmother was partial to Imperial sugar and other products made in Texas. You know what? I'm still sweet on them.
Fave Combo
Let's hear it for beans and cornbread, the tastiest of plate-mates, a classic Southern supper—and a meal any fool can cook.
Living Legends
The truth about the Lady of White Rock Lake, the Neiman Marcus cookie recipe, and other seemingly tall Texas tales.
Cold Comfort
Texans turn to Dairy Queen for more than just Hungr-Busters, Steak Finger Country Baskets, and Blizzards. They also come for a taste of days gone by.
Our Towns
What's the story behind "Bug Tussle"? "Old Dime Box"? "Frognot"? It turns out there's more to a name than I ever expected.
Grand Old Flags
A groundbreaking exhibit and an accompanying book make this a banner year to stand up and salute the history of Texas' flags.
Merry Tex-mas
Break out the hog-bladder balloons and get ready to chase livestock! It's time for a look at Texas' Christmas past.
Local Hero
Bob Phillips' passion for small-town oddities makes Texas Country Reporter as irresistible as a bookshop that doubles as a beauty parlor.
Charles “Tex” Watson
Fess Parker
Falling for Davy Crockett (um, Fess Parker).
Phyllis George
Phyllis George and Texas’ other former Miss America’s didn’t let the tiara go to their head.
The Heat Generation
What was Texas like before air conditioning? Thinking about it gives me the chills.
Independence Day
How Juneteenth, a nationwide celebration of the end of slavery, got its start in Texas.
Tapped Out
After more than a century of operation, it's last call at San Antonio's Pearl brewery.
E’er Heads
I think, therefore iamb: My personal tour of the history of bad Texas poetry, from best to versed, prose to cons.
Dead Beat
For an outing that’ll make you go stark graving mad, visit Texas’ peaceful old cemeteries—and experience the esprit de corpse.
Windfall
Call it A Simpler Plan: Austinite Jim Magnuson’s new novel is about the consequences of finding a lot of money—and it’s a good read.
The Belle Curve
Sexist, shmexist: For pure viewing enjoyment, my feminist friends and I know that nothing can match the Miss America Pageant.
The New Mex Files
Did a flying saucer really crash-land in a field outside Roswell fifty years ago this month? The truth is out there; find out for yourself.
Irregular Joe
His stories are grotesque, disturbing, and award-winning: Meet Nacogdoches’ Joe R. Lansdale, the most twisted writer in Texas.
To Die For
Obituaries are a grave matter, of course. But they can also be funny, insightful, and poetic, which is why I’m so obsessed with them.
Mesilla Real Soon
The time is ripe, and so are the chiles: This tiny, homey town in New Mexico is the ideal spot for a fall weekend getaway.
Mesilla Real Soon
The time is ripe, and so are the chiles: This tiny, homey town in New Mexico is the ideal spot for a fall weekend getaway.
The New London School Explosion
How many people died in the New London school explosion of 1937?
Flight: My Life in Mission Control
The Candidate
Who's the rising star of Midland politics? Oh, brother!
King Vidor
What Galveston native filmed the black and white scenes in The Wizard of Oz?
Ordinary Horror
Sam Rayburn
Whose picture did Sam Rayburn always hang in his office?
Old Yeller
What was the real name of the dog that portrayed Old Yeller?
Frank Buck
How many monkeys did Frank Buck capture?
Charley Pride
Which professional sport did Charley Pride play?
Herman and George R. Brown
How much money has the Brown Foundation given away since 1951?
Ginger Rogers
In what movie was Ginger Rogers first paired with Fred Astaire?
Dennis and Randy Quaid
What is the one movie that Dennis and Randy Quaid appeared in together?
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Who was Stevie Ray Vaughan's musical role model?
Santa Anna
What chewable confection did Santa Anna help invent?
Alvin Ailey
Which Oscar-winner did Alvin Ailey act alongside in the play Call Me by My Rightful Name ?
Gypsy Songman
One Day’s Perfect Weather
The Last King of Texas
Art of the Boot
December 1899
How much did baby shoes cost in Texas in December 1899?
Mickey Leland
The UT Tower
The University of Texas Tower figured in which movies?
Eric Dickerson
Why was Eric Dickerson nicknamed Mr. Benny?
Sharon Tate
On which two sitcoms did Sharon Tate have a guest-starring role?
Shelley Duvall
What part did Shelley Duvall beat out Gilda Radner for?
Américo Paredes
Which Américo Paredes book was made into a movie starring Edward James Olmos?
Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker
Which American president was befriended by Quanah Parker?
Pecos Bill
How did Pecos Bill invent hot sauce?
Bob Wills
Which future Texas governor hired Bob Wills to play on his Fort Worth radio show?
Leon Jaworski
At what age was Leon Jaworski the youngest lawyer in the history of Texas?
Scott Joplin
How many years after his death did Scott Joplin win a Pulitzer prize?
Mirabeau B. Lamar
Why was Mirabeau B. Lamar known as the Father of Texas Education?
Abraham Zapruder
How much did Life pay Abraham Zapruder for the rights to his assassination film?
Sandra Day O’Connor
Why did Sandra Day O’Connor once say, “I come to you tonight wearing my bra”?
Lee Trevino
Which soft drink’s quart-size bottle did Lee trevino use as a golf club?
Mary Martin
How many times did Mary Martin shampoo onstage while appearing in South Pacific?
Rogers Hornsby
Pa Ferguson
Why was the former governor Pa Ferguson nicknamed Farmer Jim?
Witt and Wisdom
The Newton Boys
Mance Lipscomb
What was so special about Mance Lipscomb’s dentures?
Joan Crawford
Texas Monthly
Texas Primer Who’s been on our cover the most times? Ross is boss.
Texas Primer: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
How much are the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders paid per game?
Howard Hughes
Why was Howard Hughes’s plane nicknamed the Spruce Goose?
Audie Murphy
How did Audie Murphy win the Congressional Medal of Honor?
“Tex”
Which Tex sang “High Noon” and which was a member of the Manson family?
Jimmie Rodgers
What respiratory ailment afflicted Jimmie Rodgers, prompting fans to shout “Spit ’er up and sing some more”?
Judge Roy Bean
Georgia O’Keeffe
In which Texas towns did Georgia O’Keeffe teach art, and for which photographer did she pose nude?
Babe Didrikson
Which sports did Babe Didrikson dominate, and in what Hepburn-Tracy film did she appear?
Debbie Reynolds
Who gave Debbie Reynolds her name, and what did she have to learn to do before starring in Singin’ in the Rain?
Roy Orbison
What did Roy Orbison drink compulsively, and who called him the world’s greatest singer?
Susanna Dickinson
How did Susanna Dickinson survive the Battle of the Alamo, and who played her in John Wayne’s movie?
Bill Pickett
What was Bill Pickett’s nickname, and how did he wrestle steers to the ground?
Bonnie and Clyde
To whom were Bonnie and Clyde really married, and whose saxophone was found in their car?
The Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog
In Texas the ultimate arbiter of good taste has always been Neiman Marcus, the Dallas-based department store that marks its ninetieth birthday next year.
Running With the Big Dogs
John Nance Garner
What did Uvalde’s John Nance garner think the vice presidency was really worth?
Grand Parent
Dale Evans
Darrell Royal
What is Darrell Royal’s code name, and what does his middle initial stand for?
Gilt Trip
Sure Shot
The Buckle Stops Here
Time for a Change
Reporter
Texas Myth #92
How many Texans died at the Alamo?
Texas Myth# 31
Did The Texas Chainsaw Massacre really happen?
Texas Myth # 113
Does the ten-gallon hat hold ten gallons?
Texas Myth# 471
Who put the Bowie in the bowie knife?
Texas Myth #29
Was J. R.shot in Dallas?
Texas Myth #319
Do horny toads really squirt blood?
Texas Myth #264
Oil’s well that begins well.
Texas Myth #665
Great Houston’s ghost!
Texas Myth #14
Is DWB (driving while barefoot) illegal?
Texas Myth #198
Is Juneteenth ours?
Texas Myth #321
Bluebonnet burglars, beware?
Texas Myth #714
No, you can’t shoot your adulterous wife.
Texas Myth #454
Gene Autry’s reindeer games.
Encyclopedia Texanica
The seven dips on a Texas trip.
Encyclopedia Texanica
How high may our flag fly?
Encyclopedia Texanica
The myth of the saguaro cactus
Blame That Tune
Why Anne Dingus hates "Texas, Our Texas."
Letting Go
Anne Dingus drives herself to tears.
Road Test
Anne Dingus puts her teenage son in the driver's seat.
I Swear
Anne Dingus' language lesson.
Adventures in The Bone Trade
Robbers
The Bottoms
The Devils Tiger
The Eye of Horus
Roads
World of Pies
A Twist at the End: A Novel of O. Henry
The Runner
books by Christopher Reich and Jay Brandon
The House of Gentle Men
Hot Cole
A rough-neck novelist hits pay dirt.
A Wild Life
A terrific and prolific photographer remembered.
Write On!
UT’s writing program achieves Texas-size success.
Embattled
Reshooting history in Garfield
Briterature
A McKinney writer’s Brit lit.
Car Talk
Stanley Marsh 3’s mobile autos.
King Fishy
A history mystery involving ranching’s King family.
Alamo Tome
Body of Evidence
Who was Jesse James—really? And where is he buried?
Puzzling
A cryptic puzzle you’ll utter no cross words about.
BoomTown
Texas City lives on, fifty years after the infamous explosion.
The Music Man
West Seller
An El Paso novelist makes history.
L. T. Felty
After Thoughts
The big-screen bungling of Rosellen Brown’s Before and After.
Wild About Harry
Colum McCann
Johnny Angel
Star Gazing
Snow business comes to Houston.
Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson
Domino Effect
Web Exclusives
A Cook’s Tour
From tamales and chile con carne to boiled fish and macaroni with mushroom sauce, the first-ever compendium of Mexican American cooking, Mexican Cooking: The Flavor of the 20th Century—That Real Mexican Tang, takes readers on an unusual culinary ride.
Case by Case
What to do in ten more worst-case scenarios, from getting bitten by a brown recluse to getting caught in a dust storm.
Spirit of the Alamo
If you're an Alamo fan—and even if you aren't—you'll find these fifteen titles worth your while.
Holding Court
Senior editor Anne Dingus discusses auto camps, motels, and newfangled amenities like swimming pools, ice machines, and television.
Fair's Fair
The State Fair has seen it all, from a model of the Washington Monument made entirely out of human teeth to a visit by King Olaf V of Norway on Norweigian Day.
Test your TMQ
How much do you know about Texas Monthly?
Pecos Bull
Senior editor Anne Dingus relays some tales that are tall—even by Texas standards.
The Bad Old Days
The 1800's had its share of criminal activity.
Best Bets
Senior editor Anne Dingus offers a list of Texas true-crime books to die for.
Trivial Pursuit
Senior editor Anne Dingus tests your knowledge of cowgirl minutiae.
Smooth Ride
Teaching your child how to drive is no easy task. Senior editor Anne Dingus offers ten tips to make your assignment successful—and enjoyable.
Pop Quiz
Take senior editor Anne Dingus' Web-only exam to test your knowledge of Texas and pop culture.
Testing, Testing
More Texas-trivia questions, ranging from musical and military to historical and hysterical.
Is That Your Final Answer?
So you think you know Texas? Take senior editor Anne Dingus' Web-only quiz and see if you know as much as you think you do.
Nifty Fifty
Senior editors Anne Dingus and Joe Nick Patoski tell the story behind this month's cover story, "50 Things Every Texan Should Do."
Bum Deal
Executive editor Paul Burka and senior editor Anne Dingus tell the story behind January's cover story, "The 2001 Bum Steer Awards".
Must-Read Mysteries
Senior editor Anne Dingus lists her ten favorite whodunits.
Read Me. Texas Index
Texas Sayings
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