Hitching to History

Kathleen Maca

You might just be walking by remnants of the past every day without even realizing it! Hidden in plain site in Galveston, are pieces that tell stories from the Victorian era of one of the most elegant cities in America.

In the latest installment of Tiny Lectures, Kathleen Maca, a writer and historian who focuses on Galveston and Texas, introduces you to hitching posts, carriage steps, and mounting blocks. Who knew that something that appears insignificant could reveal so much about culture and a way of life.

About Ms. Maca

Kathleen Shanahan Maca is a writer, historian, and photographer with a specialty in Texas and Galveston history. You can find her books at her website maca.com.

“I’ve always been interested in historic places and stories about people but wasn’t really interested in the dry -'schoolbook”' sort of history that involved memorizing names and dates.

When I was young, my sister and I visited our grandparents every year. At least once during those visits, we would make the round of the country cemeteries, visiting family member graves to decorate and tidy them up. My grandfather could walk from stone to stone and tell stories about almost every person … real people, not famous … but just as interesting. The man who ran the livery stable, the woman who made the best biscuits in town, the Indian Scout.

I learned very early that grave markers were so much more than just names and dates–they had entire stories behind them. That’s how I came to love cemeteries and want to document them and those that rested there. I guess it was just a normal extension to become interested in historic places–the homes they lived in, the buildings where they worked, where they vacationed or places of amusement. Even the unusual finds in antique stores, objects no longer in use and not identifiable by newer generations, are part of these stories.

When I look at old photos with crowds of people, I know that every one of those people had a story I would love to know about. Those are the stories I try to share. People that many may have never heard about, with stories that are usually far more interesting (and often stranger) than fiction.”

-Kathleen Maca