35 The Drag

Giant, kitschy roadside attractions dominated American roadways in the 1960s. Among them were fiberglass figurines known as muffler men, drawing travelers into restaurants, auto shops, and even a sandblasting shop off I-35 in Gainesville, Texas. These quirky constructions reveal insights into the history of advertising and America’s attachment to nostalgia. See a photo of Glenn Goode's Big People and the World's Largest Virgin Mary Mosaic: https://thedragaudio.com/gainesville/

Interstate 35 begins in the border city of Laredo, and its role as a major port of entry has made it more than just an economic hub. Since 1898, it’s been home to Washington’s Birthday Celebration, a month-long series of events attracting over 400,000 guests in honor of America’s first president. But what does such a patriotic celebration mean in a city so intertwined in Mexican history? See a photo of Daniella Martinez's Society of Martha Washington dress: https://thedragaudio.com/laredo/ 

Cotulla, Texas has used its place on the Eagle Ford Pass, an oil and natural gas field, to keep its economy afloat. However, the latest oil bust has turned Cotulla to a new form of revenue: heritage tourism. Now the sleepy small town is undergoing a transformation to pull drivers off the highway and revitalize the community.

Today, I-35 is one of the country’s main freight highways, but before it existed, a different path fed America: The Chisholm Trail. 1 out of 4 of the cowboys driving cattle up to Kansas along the Chisholm Trail were Black men, and Texas’ history is filled with forgotten stories of the Black cowboys who tamed the Wild West and, later, gained rodeo competition titles across the country.

After the Federal Highway Act of 1956, interstate highways all over the country plowed through Black and Latinx communities and when I-35 was constructed in Austin, it cemented a racial divide between the west and east sides of the city. Now that Austin grows in population and popularity, it faces more pressure to redevelop neighborhoods in East Austin, and longtime Black and Latinx residents are being pushed out.

From the people who brought you “The Orange Tree,” “35” tells the stories about Texas beyond the stereotypes. Instead, you’ll hear stories about Texas you don’t already know — through a road trip along Texas’ main artery, Interstate 35.