The Falls of Wichita Falls: An Environmental History of the Red Rolling Plains

Wichita Falls, Texas, is a city with a rich environmental history that spans the Progressive Era, water management, oil towns, and municipal boosters. Jahue Anderson's book "The Falls of Wichita Falls" explores how local indigenous environmental knowledge was washed out by moonshot plans to irrigate a valley, leading to the commodification of natural resources and the ideological postures shaping how Americans attempt to subdue the land of the American West.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2023
Publisher: Texas Tech Press,U.S.

In Texas, Wichita Falls stands as a pivotal point in the rich tapestry of American environmental history, encompassing a diverse range of themes and periods. From the Progressive Era's emphasis on land ethics and water management to the rise and fall of oil towns, the colorful municipal boosters, and numerous other captivating aspects, this city has played a significant role in shaping the nation's environmental narrative.

The Falls of Wichita Falls delves into a local history that holds profound national implications. It begins with the iconic wolf hunt led by Theodore Roosevelt in Frederick, Oklahoma, and spans the long twentieth century, culminating in the emergence of Indian Casinos. Jahue Anderson's insightful book challenges the prevailing notion of rugged individualism as the defining characteristic of the Red Rolling Plains cultural landscape.

Anderson's examination of how local indigenous environmental knowledge was overshadowed by grandiose plans to irrigate a valley is particularly noteworthy. This project, despite its ambitious goals, ultimately failed to improve the living conditions of the people in the region. The dreams of an irrigated valley gave way to a landscape characterized by oil derricks, military installations, suburbs, and a complex network of reservoirs and pumping stations constructed on the Little Wichita River to supply water to residents in the Big Wichita River Valley.

The Falls of Wichita Falls offers a captivating sketch of an environmental blueprint that encapsulates the thirst of a city and its people, the commodification of natural resources, and the enduring ideological postures that shape Americans' attempts to dominate the vast expanse of the American West. Through its detailed analysis, this book provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between human endeavors, the natural environment, and the cultural landscape of a region.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781682831564