Living up to my “Back Roads Scholar” title, I go off the beaten track to find tucked-away spots lost to the speeding traveler. Last month, I was headed to Canyon of the Eagles for a camp-out. In Bertram, I turned north to bridge the Russell and North Forks of the San Gabriel River and find …

It’s as if the gods suddenly threw a switch. With a signal from beyond, springtime is bursting forth in Central Texas. One of my favorite harbingers of the fresh season is the Texas Live Oak (Quercus virginiana var. fusiformis), which exhibits an unusual behavior this time of year. My tour clients from the west or …

Three distinct Austin characteristics—government, education, and art—I directly trace to the city founder’s personality and activities. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, a descendant of Georgia Huguenots, came to Texas in 1835 to study history. He soon became immersed in the Texas Revolution, assuming a significant role at the Battle of San Jacinto as an expert cavalryman. Elected …