Tracks Along the Clear Fork: Stories from Shackelford and Throckmorton Counties

In a state as big as Texas the various regions differ widely in their histories and identities, which makes the cultivation of regional history essential. This collection of stories recounts the colorful past of the Clear Fork country -- the land along the Clear Fork of the Brazos in present Shackelford and Throckmorton Counties. The stories focus first on the area's military past, of Camp Cooper and Fort Griffin, and the society they spawned. The second focus is on the pioneers; the people who made the Clear Fork country their home and helped establish its character.The editors have masterfully blended the words of modern writers -- folks steeped in the region's history -- with those of men who made that history. Here, combined for the first time, are classic works from two great historians of an earlier era -- Rupert N. Richardson and Carl Coke Rister -- along with efforts by several noted local writers. Also included is a report from Captain R. B. Marcy's 1854 expedition through the then largely unexplored region and interviews with Clear Fork pioneers.This medley of voices offers a truly unique and personal perspective on the region and its people. It has all the elements of a classic western -- soldiers, settlers, Indians, outlaws, buffalo hunters, and cowboys. This is the stuff of which, quite literally, legends were made, not to mention novels, movies, and television shows.