Making Texas History: An Interview with Governor Rick Perry (Part 1)

Making Texas History: An Interview with Governor Rick Perry (Part 1)

Author: Ken Wise July 7, 2024 Duration: 0:00
Governor Rick Perry is the longest serving Governor in Texas history. From his humble beginnings in Paint Creek, to the cockpit of an Air Force C-130, to the Governor’s Mansion and on to Washington D.C. Governor Perry has an unmatched career in public service. In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss what Texas and Texas history means to a man who made a lot of it.

There’s a particular feeling you get standing on a wide stretch of prairie or walking through a quiet courthouse square that seems to hold a century of stories. Wise About Texas is about uncovering those stories, layer by layer, with the kind of depth and context that makes the past feel immediate. Hosted by Ken Wise, each episode goes beyond the well-trodden tales of the Alamo and cowboy legends to explore the people, places, and pivotal moments that truly shaped this unique state. You’ll hear about forgotten communities, surprising cultural intersections, and the everyday lives that built Texas from the ground up. This isn’t just a dry recitation of dates; it’s a thoughtful exploration that connects history to the landscape you can visit today. Whether you’re a lifelong resident, a curious newcomer, or someone planning a trip with a desire to understand what you’re seeing, this podcast serves as an engaging guide. Tune in for narratives that are meticulously researched yet told with a conversational ease, making each chapter of Texas history accessible and genuinely compelling. The aim is to leave you not just better informed, but with a richer sense of the spirit and complexity that defines the Lone Star State.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Wise About Texas
Podcast Episodes
EP. 138: A Volcanic Trail Marker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:53
Northeastern New Mexico was a hotbed (pun intended) of volcanic activity. Over time, those volcanoes became extinct. But one still served a very important purpose for Texas trail drivers. Learn about a very interesting t…
EP. 137:  The First Chief Justice (sort of) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:19
The Republic of Texas Congress formed the first state Supreme Court in 1836. However, the Court really didn’t meet in any significant way until 1840 under the leadership of Chief Justice John Hemphill. Being Chief Justic…
EP. 135: Texans You Should Know– Lottie Deno [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:11
What’s an upper-crust lady from Kentucky society doing in one of the worst and most dangerous areas of Texas? Dealing cards, of course. Not only that, she was one of the most successful professional gamblers in the 19th…
Ep. 134: The Fence Cutting Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:04
Barbed wire revolutionized livestock fencing. What a great invention…or so it was thought. The real effect was the gradual elimination of the open range and the free grazing and watering of cattle. Cooperation was discou…
EP. 133: The Van Horn Wells [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:53
For centuries, Indians knew where to get water on the desolate terrain of what would become West Texas. One of those spots came to be known as the Van Horns Wells. Named for one of two possible military commanders, the w…
EP. 132: The Coming of the Wire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:13
You can’t go anywhere in Texas without running into “the devil’s rope”–barbed wire. It keeps livestock in AND out. It protects property and discourages trespassers. But barbed wire hasn’t been around all that long. When…
EP. 131: A Presidential Election, 1841 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:57
You think our elections are divisive today? Well, Texas is just continuing a long tradition of candidates running hard and stirring the pot. In the Republic of Texas the presidential term was only two years, so the elect…
Ep. 130: The Sisterdale Revolver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
In the early part of the Civil War, a group of German Freethinkers got together to design and manufacture a revolver for use by the Confederate forces. These Germans were intellectuals, engineers, farmers and…unionists!…