In 9200 B.C. the first humans migrated into the Texas Panhandle. What followed--exploration and settlement by the Spaniards, Mexican rule, the years as an independent republic, statehood, secession, and the Civil War--and what is still unfolding today are fascinating stories. Distinguished Texas historian David G. McComb has gathered anecdotes, tall tales, and little-known facts to bring to life the drama, humor, and far-reaching consequences of Texas history. He writes of the Native Americans in Texas, of the armadillo (a whimsical folk symbol but not, as most suppose, the official state animal), the Alamo, barbed wire, longhorn cattle, the Texas Rangers, and the supreme importance of football to the average Texan. He profiles such Texans as Jim Bowie, Audie Murphy, Van Cliburn, Willie Nelson, Barbara Jordan, Michael DeBakey, and many others who have left a mark not only on Texas but on the world. The long and complex history of Texas falls into place in an entertaining text, brimming with facts and filled with fascinating photographs and illustrations from the past and present.