Texans love the idea of wide-open spaces and, before World War II,
the majority of the state’s people did live and work on the land.
Between 1940 and 1950, however, the balance shifted from rural to
urban, and today 88 percent of Texans live in cities and embrace
the amenities of urban culture. The rise of Texas cities is a
fascinating story that has not been previously told. Yet it is
essential for understanding both the state’s history and its
contemporary character. In The City in Texas, acclaimed historian
David G. McComb chronicles the evolution of urban Texas from the
Spanish Conquest to the present. Writing in lively, sometimes
humorous and provocative prose, he describes how commerce and
politics were the early engines of city growth, followed by
post–Civil War cattle shipping, oil discovery, lumbering, and
military needs. McComb emphasizes that the most transformative
agent in city development was the railroad. This
technology—accompanied by telegraphs that accelerated the spread
of information and mechanical clocks that altered concepts of
time—revolutionized transportation, enforced corporate
organization, dictated town location, organized space and
architecture, and influenced thought. McComb also thoroughly
explores the post–World War II growth of San Antonio, Dallas,
Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston as incubators for businesses,
educational and cultural institutions, and health care centers.
General
Imprint: |
University Of Texas Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
November 2023 |
First published: |
2015 |
Authors: |
David G. McComb
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 33mm (L x W x T) |
Pages: |
352 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-4773-2856-9 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-4773-2856-4 |
Barcode: |
9781477328569 |
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