The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide 1925 Page: 5
[435] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
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FOREWORD
In 1857 Texas was little more than a vast wilderness. There was a
fringe of civilization along the Gulf Coast, around San Antonio in South
Texas and along the East Texas border, with a few isolated settlements
as far west as the central part of the State. But as for the remainder
-a vast, vast wilderness.
Looking through the mind's eye out across this unlimited expanse of
virgin forest and prairie, the publishers of The News of that day saw the
State's great future possibilities; they realized that there was one great
need, and that was that the world know about Texas and its limitless
resources.
Hence they published in 1857 the first edition of The Texas Almanac,
its full name at that time being "The Texas Almanac and Immigrants'
Guide" and its place of publication being Galveston. The first copy con-
tained information about Texas soils, crops, prices of land and slaves,
location of principal settlements, overland stage and freight facilities,
Indians, wild game and other. matters of first- concern to the settler in
Texas at that time. The little volume was distributed throughout Amer-
ica and even in Europe, and it turned thousands of footsteps in the
direction of Texas. Many an early settler arrived in Texas with a
skimpy library, consisting of the Bible and The Texas Almanac.
Annual publication of The Texas Almanac was continued during the
early period of Texas, with the exception of a break of several years
during the Civil War and reconstruction period. As the State settled, it
was realized that there was a new need and that was that the people of
Texas themselves be made fully aware of the great resources of their
own State, hence the name was changed to The Texas Almanac and
State Industrial Guide. In the meantime the place of publication had
been removed from Galveston to Dallas, The Dallas Morning News
having been established in 1885. Publication was continued at fairly
regular intervals during the latter part of the last century and the first
part of the present century, but at the outbreak o. the World War 'the
publishers discontinued its issuance, due to uncertainty of business con-
ditions. The present edition is the first since 1914.
Conditions have changed greatly since the first Texas Almanac went
forth from the little hand press in 1857. Yet the prompting that brings
it forth today is essentially the same--to let Texans and others know
about Texas. The development of Texas since 1857 has been great.
Yet all things are relative. The future of Texas holds as much in store
today as it did then.
So The Texas Almanac is revived to go forth in Texas and through-
out the world with its story of Texas wealth, of Texas resources, of
Texas civic and commercial progress. Much of -the information to be
found between its covers is not available from any other source. It is
published essentially as a textbook on Texas-a handbook of plain facts,
brought together in convenient form for the person who would know,
more of the industry, commerce, education, government,-religion or other
phases of human activity within the broad realm of the .Lone Star State.
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The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide 1925, book, 1925~; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123783/m1/25/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.