Wednesday, April 15, 2026

It Happened in April 1935

At the beginning of April 1935, the dust and sand from Colorado and Kansas was blown down to Texas. Initially, people made jokes about the weather up there in the north of Texas.

 Clipping source: Howerton, J. C. The Cuero Record. (Cuero, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 78, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 3, 1935newspaperApril 3, 1935; Cuero, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1129982/accessed April 14, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Cuero Public Library.

Soon, citizens of Texas discovered well enough that the sandstorm was not a laughing matter at all.

04 April

Clipping source: The Troup Banner (Troup, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 40, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 4, 1935newspaperApril 4, 1935; Troup, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth981348/accessed April 15, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bonham Public Library.

08 April


Clipping source: The Abilene Morning News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 157, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 10, 1935, newspaper, April 10, 1935; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1745117/: accessed April 14, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Public Library.

The days were passing by, but the situation was not improving.

11 April



Clipping source: McDonald, L. A. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 206, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 11, 1935, newspaper, April 11, 1935; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1539248/: accessed April 13, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.

13 April  - a cold weather front brought a change for a while


Clipping source:
Buell, Ralph L. The Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 244, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 14, 1935, newspaper, April 14, 1935; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1395921/: accessed April 13, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .


When it got warner again, the dust storm came back. It ruined the crops/farms, households took human and animal lives.




Clippings source: Buell, Ralph L. The Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 243, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 13, 1935, newspaper, April 13, 1935; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1395920/: accessed April 13, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

Why it all happened?



Clipping source: Bowman, George. Henderson Daily News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 22, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 14, 1935newspaperApril 14, 1935; Henderson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1315007/accessed April 14, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rusk County Library.

14 April

Dust Storm, Wheeler Texas, photograph, April 14, 1935; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth36010/m1/1/?q=dust: accessed April 13, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Wolf Creek Heritage Museum.




Clipping sources: Buell, Ralph L. The Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 244, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 14, 1935, newspaper, April 14, 1935; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1395921/: accessed April 13, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

15 April


Clipping source: McDonald, L. A. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 209, Ed. 1 Monday, April 15, 1935newspaperApril 15, 1935; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1539251/accessed April 14, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.

16 April


Clipping source:
 
Buell, Ralph L. The Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 246, Ed. 1 Tuesday, April 16, 1935newspaperApril 16, 1935; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1395925/accessed April 14, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .


The results of the dust storm were devastating - a dark lesson to learn from regarding land cultivation.


Clipping source: 
Dietel, William. The Radio Post (Fredericksburg, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 33, Ed. 1 Friday, April 26, 1935newspaperApril 26, 1935; Fredericksburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1510146/accessed April 15, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gillespie County Historical Society.

More about Dust Bowl:Texas Handbook Online

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