What would you do with 6,000 books about Texas?

Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman
·4 min read

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When part of his personal collection, Mike Cox organized his Texas books by theme. Once he gave the 6,000 volumes to the San Marcos Public Library they were catalogued and shelved under the Dewey Decimal System.
When part of his personal collection, Mike Cox organized his Texas books by theme. Once he gave the 6,000 volumes to the San Marcos Public Library they were catalogued and shelved under the Dewey Decimal System.

Mike Cox likes books about Texas.

He acquired his first volume of Texas history in 1954.

Recently, he donated 6,000 books from his Texas collection to the San Marcos Public Library.

In today's "Think, Texas" column, I interview Cox, longtime journalist, author, historian, bookseller and spokesman.

His love for Texas — and books about his state — is self-evident.

If you are in San Marcos and get a chance to drop by the newly expanded public library, located not far from the Texas State University campus, check out the bounties of the Mike Cox Texas Collection, a permanent legacy from a man who knows a more than a few things about books.

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THE COLUMN

Texas history: The 6,000-volume Mike Cox Texas Collection enriches the San Marcos Public Library

SAN MARCOS — Mike Cox acquired his first Texas book in 1954 while in the first grade.

It was the 1947 action history, "Old Fort Davis," by pulp fiction writer and lay historian Barry Scobee, namesake for Barry Scobee Mountain, located not far from Fort Davis.

His maternal grandfather, L.A. Wilke, an old-school Texas journalist and storyteller, purchased the book for the young Cox after a family visit to the fort, whose ruins are amazingly well-preserved by West Texas aridity at the foot of the Davis Mountains.

Mike Cox organized his Texas books by theme. Once he gave the 6,000 volumes to the San Marcos Public Library, they were catalogued and shelved under the Dewey Decimal System with these handsome nameplates.
Mike Cox organized his Texas books by theme. Once he gave the 6,000 volumes to the San Marcos Public Library, they were catalogued and shelved under the Dewey Decimal System with these handsome nameplates.

Cox kept the book. And many others.

During a long career as a journalist, author, historian, bookseller and spokesman, Cox collected more than 6,000 volumes of Texana.

Completing an agreement worked out in 2017, Cox donated that collection — which on the open market might be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars — to the San Marcos Public Library.

The neatly jacketed books now have been catalogued and shelved in a special room at the newly expanded library. The public is welcome to read them, although, because many volumes are uncommon, scarce or rare, one must go through some common-sense security procedures to access the light-filled room. READ MORE

THE PODCAST

On this week's "Austin Found" podcast, J.B. Hager and I chat about the new book, "Indelible Austin: Volume 4," the latest in my series of collected columns about Austin people, places, culture and history.

American-Statesman columnist Michael Barnes and Austin360 Radio personality J.B. Hager team up on "Austin Found," a podcast about how Austin became Austin.
American-Statesman columnist Michael Barnes and Austin360 Radio personality J.B. Hager team up on "Austin Found," a podcast about how Austin became Austin.

HOMETOWN HISTORY

These Texas history stories ran in the following USA Today Network newspapers.

· From Abilene: 60 years since "the messiest train wreck"

· From Alice: Eye-opening historical fiction: "Take My Hand"

· From Amarillo: New book celebrates 100 Men, Women of the Year

· From Austin: History of women on Austin City Council

· From Brownwood: 25 greatest athletes in Brown County history

· From Corpus Christi: City women making history

· From El Paso: Woman's Club members shaped El Paso history

· From Glen Rose: Celebrating women in Somervell County

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell
Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell

· From Lubbock: Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell became first woman physician

· From San Angelo: Women largely responsible for city's first parks

· From Stephenville: Tena Jenks: Pioneer businesswoman, photographer

· From Waxahachie: Ellis County veterans: The stories behind their stories

· From Wichita Falls: "Women of Wichita County" book signing

FUN TEXAS FACT

What is the largest lake in Texas?

On May 11, 1964, construction began on the Toledo Bend Reservoir. The reservoir is the largest lake in Texas and is formed by the Toledo Bend Dam 80 miles northeast of Beaumont on the Sabine River.

The reservoir occupies parts of Newton, Sabine, Panola and Shelby counties in Texas and Sabine and De Soto parishes in Louisiana.

South Toledo Bend State Park is located on the Toledo Bend Reservoir in Sabine Parish, Louisiana.
South Toledo Bend State Park is located on the Toledo Bend Reservoir in Sabine Parish, Louisiana.

The area is rich in Native American history, and by 1967 more than 100 archeological sites had been found at the Toledo Bend project. The dam was completed in 1969.

With a drainage area of 7,178 square miles, the Toledo Bend Reservoir conserves water for municipal, industrial, agricultural and recreational purposes and stretches for well over 100 river miles.

Recreational areas around the lake, including Willow Oak Recreation Area, Indian Mounds Wilderness Area, Ragtown and Lakeview, provide boat ramps and picnicking and camping facilities.

(Texas Day by Day / Texas State Historical Association) READ MORE

TEXAS TITLES

We recommend: "On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon-Reed

"On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon-Reed is a series of essays on memory, race and history.
"On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon-Reed is a series of essays on memory, race and history.

Not so much a history of Juneteenth, now a federal holiday celebrating freedom from slavery, Gordon-Reed's book is a series of essays on race, history and personal memories. The Pulitzer Prize winner is right on target. It's the perfect Juneteenth gift for the history buff in your life. READ MORE

Thanks for reading,

Michael Barnes, Columnist

Email: mbarnes@statesman.com

Twitter: twitter.com/outandabout

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What would you do with 6,000 books about Texas?