Walter Prescott Webb
Encyclopedia
Walter Prescott Webb was a 20th century U.S.
historian and author noted for his groundbreaking historical work on the American West. As president of the Texas State Historical Association
, he launched the project that produced the Handbook of Texas
. He is also noted for his early criticism of the water usage patterns in the region.
in rural
Panola County
, Texas
and was reared on his family farm. After graduating from Ranger High School in Ranger
in Eastland County
, he earned a teaching certificate and taught at several Texas schools. He eventually attended the University of Texas at Austin
and graduated with a B.A.
in 1915 at the age of twenty-seven. He worked as bookkeeper
in San Marcos
and optometrist's
assistant in San Antonio
, then in 1918 he was invited to join the history
faculty at the University of Texas. He wrote his Master of Arts
's thesis on the Texas Rangers
in 1920 and was encouraged to pursue his Ph.D.
. After a year of study at the University of Chicago
, he returned to Austin
where he began a historical work on the West. The result of this work was The Great Plains, published in 1931, hailed as great breakthrough in the interpretation of the history of the region, and declared the outstanding contribution to American history since World War I
by the Social Science Research Council
in 1939. He was awarded his Ph.D. for his work on The Great Plains in 1932, the year after its publication.
From 1939 to 1946 he served as president of the Texas State Historical Association. During his tenure as president, he launched a project to produce an encyclopedia
of Texas, which was subsequently published in 1952 as the Handbook of Texas. The world wide web
version of the work is a popular Internet reference tool on the state. In all, he wrote or edited more than twenty books. One of those works, The Texas Rangers includes information on the legendary Texas Ranger
Captain Bill McDonald.
Webb was killed in an automobile accident near Austin. He was interred at Texas State Cemetery
in Austin on the proclamation of then Governor John B. Connally, Jr.
The Webb thesis focused on the fragility of the Western environment, pointing out the aridity of the territory and the dangers of an industrialized West. O'Har (2006) shows that in his classic interdisciplinary history of the post-Civil War West. Webb develops dominant characteristics of the Great Plains - treelessness, level terrain, and semiaridity - and examines effect on the lives of people from very different environments. To succeed, pioneers made radical readjustments in their way of life, eschewed traditions, and altered social institutions. Webb believed what set the Great Plains apart from other regions was its individualism, innovation, democracy, and lawlessness, themes he derived from the Frontier Thesis
of Frederick Jackson Turner
. His focus is said to have missed the emergence of a national empire and that he failed to acknowledge the roles played by women, Indians, and Mexicans.
) of attempting to convert the region into productive cropland through irrigation
. Webb's criticism of federal policy was roundly rebuked at the time, but some contemporary critics of U.S. water policy regard him as prophetic in his views.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian and author noted for his groundbreaking historical work on the American West. As president of the Texas State Historical Association
Texas State Historical Association
The Texas State Historical Association or abbreviated TSHA, is a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to documenting the rich and unique history of Texas. It was founded on March 2, 1897. As of November 2008, TSHA moved from Austin to the University of North Texas in Denton.The executive...
, he launched the project that produced the Handbook of Texas
Handbook of Texas
The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
. He is also noted for his early criticism of the water usage patterns in the region.
Biography
Webb was born near CarthageCarthage, Texas
Carthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Panola County, and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.-Geography:...
in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
Panola County
Panola County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,756 people, 8,821 households, and 6,395 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile . There were 10,524 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and was reared on his family farm. After graduating from Ranger High School in Ranger
Ranger, Texas
Ranger is a city in Eastland County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,584 at the 2000 census. Ranger College, a community college, is the second largest employer in the community....
in Eastland County
Eastland County, Texas
*Carbon*Cisco*Desdemona, a ghost town*Eastland*Gorman*Mangum*Olden*Ranger*Rising Star*Romney-See also:*National Register of Historic Places listings in Eastland County, Texas*Santa Claus Bank Robbery-External links:** at the University of Texas*...
, he earned a teaching certificate and taught at several Texas schools. He eventually attended the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and graduated with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1915 at the age of twenty-seven. He worked as bookkeeper
Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions. Transactions include sales, purchases, income, receipts and payments by an individual or organization. Bookkeeping is usually performed by a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping should not be confused with accounting. The accounting process is usually...
in San Marcos
San Marcos, Texas
San Marcos is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, and is the seat of Hays County. Located within the metropolitan area, the city is located on the Interstate 35 corridor—between Austin and San Antonio....
and optometrist's
Optometry
Optometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
assistant in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, then in 1918 he was invited to join the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
faculty at the University of Texas. He wrote his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
's thesis on the Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
in 1920 and was encouraged to pursue his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
. After a year of study at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, he returned to Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
where he began a historical work on the West. The result of this work was The Great Plains, published in 1931, hailed as great breakthrough in the interpretation of the history of the region, and declared the outstanding contribution to American history since World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by the Social Science Research Council
Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council is a U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines...
in 1939. He was awarded his Ph.D. for his work on The Great Plains in 1932, the year after its publication.
From 1939 to 1946 he served as president of the Texas State Historical Association. During his tenure as president, he launched a project to produce an encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
of Texas, which was subsequently published in 1952 as the Handbook of Texas. The world wide web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
version of the work is a popular Internet reference tool on the state. In all, he wrote or edited more than twenty books. One of those works, The Texas Rangers includes information on the legendary Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
Captain Bill McDonald.
Webb was killed in an automobile accident near Austin. He was interred at Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
in Austin on the proclamation of then Governor John B. Connally, Jr.
Ideas
Rundell (1963) has examined Webb's main books to see what inspired and prompted the writing of each, what the purpose and message of each seems to be, and Webb's emergent philosophy of history. The professional reception of these studies is also considered. The message of The Great Plains (1931) is contained in its subtitle, 'A Study in Institutions and Environment.' Its primary purpose was to present representative ideas about the region rather than to write its history. Webb utilized the same approach in The Great Frontier (Austin: U. of Texas Press, 1964) by attempting to put his subject in the context of Western civilization, calling the settled area of Europe 'the Metropolis' and the rest of the world 'the Great Frontier.' Webb's The Texas Rangers (Austin: U. of Texas Press, 1965) was a pungent and learned treatment of a frontier institution. The economic domination of the North, through the tariff, Civil War pensions, and patent monopolies, (over the South and West, which contained the largest share of natural resources) was the theme of Divided We Stand. Another volume, More Water for Texas (Austin: U. of Texas Press, 1954), popularized and vitalized a Federal study of what he regarded as the most serious problem of his state. Environment and his experiences within that environment explain Webb's analyses. He was interested in broad outlines rather than with the weight of documentation.The Webb thesis focused on the fragility of the Western environment, pointing out the aridity of the territory and the dangers of an industrialized West. O'Har (2006) shows that in his classic interdisciplinary history of the post-Civil War West. Webb develops dominant characteristics of the Great Plains - treelessness, level terrain, and semiaridity - and examines effect on the lives of people from very different environments. To succeed, pioneers made radical readjustments in their way of life, eschewed traditions, and altered social institutions. Webb believed what set the Great Plains apart from other regions was its individualism, innovation, democracy, and lawlessness, themes he derived from the Frontier Thesis
Frontier Thesis
The Frontier Thesis, also referred to as the Turner Thesis, is the argument advanced by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 that the origin of the distinctive egalitarian, democratic, aggressive, and innovative features of the American character has been the American frontier experience...
of Frederick Jackson Turner
Frederick Jackson Turner
Frederick Jackson Turner was an American historian in the early 20th century. He is best known for his essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History", whose ideas are referred to as the Frontier Thesis. He is also known for his theories of geographical sectionalism...
. His focus is said to have missed the emergence of a national empire and that he failed to acknowledge the roles played by women, Indians, and Mexicans.
Water
Webb was an esteemed historian when he wrote an article in the May 1957 edition of Harper's entitled "The American West, Perpetual Mirage". In the article, Webb criticized U.S. water policy in the West, stating that the region was "a semidesert with a desert heart", and that it was a national folly to continue to follow the current federal policy (managed through the United States Bureau of ReclamationUnited States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
) of attempting to convert the region into productive cropland through irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
. Webb's criticism of federal policy was roundly rebuked at the time, but some contemporary critics of U.S. water policy regard him as prophetic in his views.
Media
- A one-act play by Steve MooreSteve Moore (Playwright)Steve Moore is a playwright born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Chicago where he majored in Classics, and recently received an MFA in Playwrighting from the University of Texas at Austin...
, Nightswim, about Roy BedichekRoy BedichekRoy Bedichek was a Texan writer, naturalist and educator.-Early life and education:Roy Bedichek was born on June 27, 1878 in Cass County, Illinois to parents James Madison Bedichek and Lucretia Ellen Craven. The family relocated to Falls County, Texas in 1884...
, J. Frank DobieJ. Frank DobieJames Frank Dobie was an American folklorist, writer, and newspaper columnist best known for many books depicting the richness and traditions of life in rural Texas during the days of the open range...
and Walter Prescott Webb was first produced in Austin in Fall, 2004. Their friendship is narrated in the book Three Friends: Roy Bedichek, J. Frank Dobie, Walter Prescott Webb by William A. Owens, published in 1969.
See also
- J. Frank DobieJ. Frank DobieJames Frank Dobie was an American folklorist, writer, and newspaper columnist best known for many books depicting the richness and traditions of life in rural Texas during the days of the open range...
- Roy BedichekRoy BedichekRoy Bedichek was a Texan writer, naturalist and educator.-Early life and education:Roy Bedichek was born on June 27, 1878 in Cass County, Illinois to parents James Madison Bedichek and Lucretia Ellen Craven. The family relocated to Falls County, Texas in 1884...
- Eugene C. BarkerEugene C. BarkerEugene Campbell Barker was a distinguished professor of Texas history at the University of Texas at Austin. He was the first living person to have a UT campus building, the Eugene C. Barker Texas History Center, named in his honor. The structure is part of the Center for American History and was...
- Great PlainsGreat PlainsThe Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
- Frederick Jackson TurnerFrederick Jackson TurnerFrederick Jackson Turner was an American historian in the early 20th century. He is best known for his essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History", whose ideas are referred to as the Frontier Thesis. He is also known for his theories of geographical sectionalism...
- Frontier ThesisFrontier ThesisThe Frontier Thesis, also referred to as the Turner Thesis, is the argument advanced by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 that the origin of the distinctive egalitarian, democratic, aggressive, and innovative features of the American character has been the American frontier experience...
- Ernest WallaceErnest WallaceErnest Wallace was an historian of Texas, the American West and the southern Great Plains, who was affiliated with Texas Tech University in Lubbock.-Historical works:...
- Robert W. MondyRobert W. MondyRobert William Mondy was an historian of the frontier experience in the American West and South, who spent thirty-nine years, from 1935–1974, on the faculty of Louisiana Tech University in his native Ruston in Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana.Mondy was the older of two children born to Thomas...
Further reading
- Frantz, Joe B. "Remembering Walter Prescott Webb," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 1988 92(1): 16-30
- Gutmann, Myron P. and Christie Sample. "Land, Climate, and Settlement on the Texas Frontier," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 1995 99(2): 136-172. Updates the research of Walter Prescott Webb by exploring the dynamics of the rural Euro-American frontiers in Texas from 1820 to 1970, with special attention to the effects of climate, geography, available natural resources, and patterns of exploitation by settlers.
- Hart, Stephen S. "Geological Errors in Walter Prescott Webb'S 'The Great Plains'," Great Plains Research 1999 9(1): 137-143
- O'Har, George. "Where The Buffalo Roam: Walter Prescott Webb's 'The Great Plains'", Technology and Culture 2006 47(1): 156-163
- Reinhartz, Dennis and Maizlish, Stephen E., eds. Essays on Walter Prescott Webb and the Teaching of History (1985). 101 pp.
- Rundell, Walter, Jr. "Walter Prescott Webb: Product of Environment," Arizona and the West 1963 5(1): 4-28
- Winfrey, Dorman H. "Memories of J. Frank Dobie and Walter Prescott Webb: A Personal Reflection on Walter Prescott Webb and J. Frank Dobie," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 1988 92(1): 31-143,
Primary sources
- Webb, Walter Prescott. More Water for Texas (1954)
- Webb, Walter Prescott. The Great Plains: A Study in Institutions and Environment (1931)