This book is the outcome of a lifelong love of history and the results of many years of research. Mr. Hooper tired of hearing "There weren't any people in Crane before the oil boom," and set out to prove the statement wrong. The material covers historical information of the Comanche War Trails, Chihuahua Trail out of Mexico. Gold hungry prospectors on their way to the gold fields in California. The Butterfield-Overland Mail, route which carried the mail from home. Goodnigh-Loving cattle drives and John Chisum Trail drive, which herded thousands of longhorn cattle to the forts on the western frontier, and the first tough cattlemen who, mixing herds on the open range, of miles of unfenced land. The second section covers the homesteaders in Crane County who endured the challenges and day to day dangers of living in the wild harsh country of West Texas. In-depth details of individuals, families, lives and evolving ranches, occurring after the open range ranches ended turning into fenced territory, becoming property owned by individuals. A treasure chest opened for history buffs, genealogists, with the history needed to educate the youth of today.

Was Gasoline, Texas, named in honor of a gas station? Nope, but the name does honor the town’s original claim to fame: a gasoline-powered cotton gin. Is Paris, Texas, a reference to Paris, France? Yes: Thomas Poteet, who donated land for the town site, thought it would be an improvement over “Pin Hook,” the original name of the Lamar County seat. Ding Dong’s story has a nice ring to it, derived from two store owners named Bell, who lived in Bell County, of course. Tracing the turning points, fascinating characters, and cultural crossroads that shaped Texas history, Texas Place Names provides the colorful stories behind these and more than three thousand other county, city, and community names. Drawing on in-depth research to present the facts behind the folklore, linguist Edward Callary also clarifies pronunciations (it’s NAY-chis for Neches, referring to a Caddoan people whose name was attached to the Neches River during a Spanish expedition). A great resource for road trippers and historians alike, Texas Place Names alphabetically charts centuries of humanity through the enduring words (and, occasionally, the fateful spelling gaffes) left behind by men and women from all walks of life.