Texas Highways Magazine September 2022

This month’s cover image marks the seventh taken by photographer and artist E. Dan Klepper, who’s been trekking across the state shooting and writing for us since 2010. Titled Blue Moon, the art piece is a photo mosaic of the moon during a lunar eclipse as it set over the Santiago Mountains south of Marathon, where he’s lived for the past 22 years. While West Texas may be his most influential muse, Klepper counts the Gulf Coast as his second favorite part of the state to photograph. “My earliest memories were salt, sand, and the Gulf wind coming off the water,” he says. “Mustang Island is my go-to spot to chill, make pictures, and explore new images and ideas.” One of his more memorable shoots involved three days of camping on Matagorda…

The Texas Highways Mercantile celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Since its launch in 1992, the shop has evolved from a modest two-page catalog to a prominent e-commerce site servicing customers throughout Texas and beyond. From handmade pottery and designer bandanas to massive “Don’t Mess with Texas” barrels, the Mercantile features Texas creators expressing what it means to be Texan. “The anniversary is so important because it signifies our longevity in the marketplace by celebrating the place we love and call home,” e-commerce marketing manager Allison Douglas says. “From the store’s inception to this very day, Texas is the core of who we are.” View the product line and store updates at shop.texashighways.com.…

Rick Bass In January, the author and environmental activist based in Montana’s Yaak Valley traveled to his native Texas for warmth—and to write “Triangle of Light” (Page 16). “It was bittersweet to see the seasonal migrations of birds that share Texas and Montana altering their journeys in a changing, warming world,” Bass says. “As more unravels, the things that remain solid become ever-more valuable. The cast of light in West Texas in the winter is one of those things that won’t change.” Bass has written numerous books and for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Esquire. He is currently writing a biography of John Graves. James Hernández As a Texas Highways summer editorial intern, Hernández photographed and wrote “A Collector’s Fantasyland” (Page 32) about Dave’s: A Pawn Shop in his hometown of El…

Your article on our small towns with big hearts was great! Some we knew about; others were a nice surprise. Carol Davanay and Connie Boswell, New Braunfels Treehuggers The mesquite is the only green thing up here right now [“The Tree of Life,” July]. I have a really old one that’s laying almost on the ground, split at the base, roots showing, and it’s never slowed or turned brown. Cheryl Grayson My grandmother was born in 1913. She said if you want a shade tree anywhere in Texas, just pick a spot and start to water it. Won’t be long until a mesquite tree will sprout up. Sharp Reb Robert Earl Keen My wife and I don’t always agree on music, but when we do, this guy is top of the list. @gwcrist Uvalde Tribute I just received the newest issue and read…

Árbol de la Vida: Memorias y Voces de la Tierra (Tree of Life: Memories and Voices of the Land) looms over the San Antonio River Walk near Mission San Francisco de la Espada. Created by San Antonio artist Margarita Cabrera, the 40-foot-tall arboreal sculpture is adorned with 700 clay-fired ornaments that locals crafted in celebration of their South Texas heritage. Photographer Tom McCarthy Jr. sought to portray the sculpture’s grand size by including people for scale, but triple-digit July temperatures were not in his favor. “Luckily, some bikers passed right under the sculpture on their way down to the River Walk,” McCarthy said. “What you can’t see from this angle is the additional stenciled details on the trunk of the sculpture or the intricacy of some of the clay sculptures…

The Texas State Railroad has long been a cornerstone of Rusk. Prisoners from the now-defunct Rusk Penitentiary completed the 25-mile line in the early 1900s, providing an outlet for timber, cotton, and iron ore, and connecting Rusk to larger regional railroads. Today, visitors board the train’s restored vintage cars for scenic Piney Woods trips that run between Palestine and Rusk, which is the Cherokee County seat. Sightseers in Rusk and surrounding towns are also likely to see public murals created by Odessa Helm. A native of Rusk, Helm worked as a sign language interpreter for Tyler Junior College for three years before deciding last year to pursue her passion for art full time. She has painted a variety of imaginative murals in her hometown and in neighboring places like Alto,…