It started during a visit to a Norway museum in the 1960s, when Texas Tech University President Grover Murray wondered why he couldn’t have a similar display back home, focusing on the planet’s semi-arid regions: Africa, Asia, Australia, America’s West.
He found that Texas ranchers thought this was the best idea since sliced bread, and it was the American West piece that took off.
Today, Texas Tech University in Lubbock houses the National Ranching Heritage Center that tells the story of ranching in the American West over the past 200 years.
In 1977, the center hired the first staff, and got a two-fer: historian and archaeologist William Curry Holden became the first director, while his wife, Frances, was the chief fundraiser in the early days.
This story is from the May 2023 edition of True West.
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This story is from the May 2023 edition of True West.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Where Did the Loot Go? - This is one of those find the money stories. And it's one that has attracted treasure hunters for more than 150 years.
Whatever happened to the $97,000 from the Reno Gang's last heist? Up to a dozen members of the Reno Gang stopped a Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis train at a watering station in southern Indiana. The outlaws had prior intelligence about its main load: express car safes held about $97,000 in government bonds and notes. In the process of the job, one of the crew was killed and two others hurt. The gang made a clean getaway with the loot.
Hero of Horsepower - Los Angeles lawman William Hammel tamed one of the West's wildest towns with hard work and horseless carriages.
Los Angeles lawman William Hammel tamed one of the West's wildest towns with hard work and horseless carriages.
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Discover Wyoming on a road trip to Cody, Casper and Cheyenne.
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Wilbur Zink has preserved the Younger Gang's history in more ways than one.
Spencer's West
After the Civil War, savvy frontiersmen chose the Spencer repeating carbine.
Firearms With a Storied Past
Rock Island gavels off high profits from historic firearms.
She Means Business!
An energetic and ambitious woman has come to Lincoln, New Mexico, to restore the town's legendary Ellis Store.
Ride that Train!
HERITAGE RAILROADS KEEP THE OLD WEST ALIVE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
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Old West fiction and nonfiction are the perfect genres to fill your summer reading list.
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