Dust Storms and Half Dugouts, A Living History of the Texas Panhandle

Dust Storms and Half Dugouts, A Living History of the Texas Panhandle by Bob Lasley; Salie Holt; Tod Blair. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780979919985.

In January of 2009, old-timers in the Texas Panhandle were asked to share their memories of the “good old days”. They were invited to write letters describing interesting, humorous, unusual, exciting (and even romantic) “happenings” from the past. Most of them were born prior to 1940 and the majority grew up in Texas. They were not selected from any particular group or social class, nor were they expected to have any special writing ability or talent. From their responses, 257 were chosen to be included in this book. Their stories aren’t history in the usual sense. Rather, they entertainingly describe a way of life that will never again be seen. You may be at first baffled by the tales of two-holer outhouses, half dugouts, castor oil, feed sack dresses and party line phones. But all of these things, and many others once common to your parents or grandparents are discussed in this book. Yes, you’ll be entertained by these tales from the good old days. But there’s a more compelling reason for the book’s existence. The 20th century saw more change than any other period in human history. This change began slowly. Up until around the 1940s, even into the 1950s in many areas, everyday life for most rural Texas residents was very nearly the same as it had been for many decades previously. The use of draft animals, outdoor plumbing and doing laundry by hand was the accepted way. In 1945, even city dwellers couldn’t begin to imagine what life would be like just 20 years in the future. This book is an effort to preserve the remarkable data locked in peoples’ collective memories.