Chandor Gardens Foundation News

Wayne shared the facts and explored the legends and lore surrounding the Texas cattle trails and Longhorn cattle!

The evening of Saturday, September 23, 2023 , at Chandor Gardens,  historian and author Wayne Ludwig presented “Legends, Longhorns & Life on the Trail” to a full house. Wayne is the author of the book The Old Chisholm Trail: From Cow Path to Tourist Stop.

Wayne’s presentation discussed topics such as life on a cattle drive – the risks and rewards, differences between modern Longhorn cattle and the Longhorns that went up the trails, and explored the legend of the Chisholm Trail and the other major Texas cattle trails.

Wayne Ludwig is a Fort Worth native, cattle trails historian, and author of The Old Chisholm Trail: From Cow Path to Tourist Stop. He created the Texas Cattle Trails History Group on Facebook, and is a member of Western Writers of America and the Academy of Western Artists. The Old Chisholm Trail was awarded the Elmer Kelton Book of the Year award by the Academy of Western Artists, and was named a Finalist for the Robert A. Calvert Book Prize and for the 2018 Most Significant Scholarly Book by the Texas Institute of Letters. His first feature magazine article, “What We Know About the Ol’ Chisholm Trail,” appeared in the February 2019 issue of Wild West magazine.

A book signing immediately followed the presentation.

Of local interest, Tom B. Saunders IV (1934 - 2018) a 5th generation cattle rancher of Parker County and historian wrote the Foreword of Wayne's book The Old Chisholm Trail: From Cow Path to Tourist Stop, and we were honored to have Tom's wife Ann and two daughters Ann Catherine and Amy attend.

We were thrilled to have, one of the most highly respected and award-winning Western authors, Johnny D. Boggs make Weatherford his first stop on his latest book tour and be our guest speaker at Chandor Gardens on September 20, 2023 .

Johnny provided an entertaining talk on his life, and about his newest historical fiction LONGHORNS EAST , which went on sale August 22, 2023.

LONGHORNS EAST - A DARING ADVENTURE INSPIRED BY THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF TOM CANDY PONTING & THE LONGEST, WILDEST CATTLE DRIVE IN AMERICAN HISTORY – FROM THE HEART OF TEXAS TO NEW YORK CITY

Highly celebrated author Johnny Boggs brings to life the Prairie Cattle King in the first-ever biographical novel based on the remarkable, yet little-known life of Tom Candy Ponting. A harrowing adventure across the grand stage of the Wild West, LONGHORNS EAST is an incredible story of human ambition, pioneer spirit, the savage beauty of nature and the ever-beating heart of the American Dream.

A farmer’s son in rural England, Tom Candy Ponting is just twelve when he’s tasked with walking 53 cattle to London, a distance of more than 100 miles. The journey is harrowing and nearly kills him more than once, but Tom is always learning – about cattle, his trade, the landscape, and most importantly, about human nature. As a young man, he brings these lessons to America’s wild frontier where he’ll take a gamble that would transform the American cattle market for decades.

In 1853, Ponting accepts a bet that nobody believes he’ll live to regret. He agrees to lead a herd of 700 Longhorn cattle from the heart of Texas all the way to New York City – a precarious journey that would take nearly 2 years on hoof and cover more than 2,100 miles across the vast wild frontier. Along the way, he and his motley crew of cowboys cross railroads and rustlers, hucksters and hustlers, with detours and dead ends aplenty. But if they succeed, they’ll make more than just a lot of money. They’ll be the first to introduce Texas Longhorns to the biggest city in America. They’ll make history.

One of the most respected Western writers working today, Johnny D. Boggs has won more awards than any other Western author, including Louis L’Amour. Now, in LONGHORNS EAST, he resurrects a legendary cattleman nearly lost to history, taking readers on an unforgettable journey as big and bold as the American Dream itself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Johnny D. Boggs is the highly acclaimed author of more than fifty historical fiction and western novels. A twelve-time Spur Award-finalist and nine-time Spur Award-winner, he has received more awards than any other author in the history of the Western Writers of America, including Louis L'Amour. He is a member of the Western Writers Hall of Fame and the 2020 recipient of Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature from the Western Writers of America. Booklist has called him "among the best Western writers at work today" and he has twice received the True West Magazine Best of the West Award.

Visit Johnny Boggs online at: JohnnyDBoggs.com

PRAISE FOR JOHNNY D. BOGGS
“Johnny D. Boggs is one of today’s major writers in the western genre…Filled with bandits, bad weather, prairie fires, Indian attacks,disgruntled drovers, and stampedes… written by a masterful storyteller.” – Historical Novels Review, EDITOR’S PICK for A Thousand Texas Longhorns

"Boggs' gift for memorable storytelling rises to its highest level...bringing the reader to a dramatic, page-turning cattle drive, leading to an unforgettable ending. All this is set against Boggs' impeccable research of place and time." —True West on Return to Red River 

 "Boggs excels at describing the uniquely beautiful, if somewhat brutal, terrain of the Southwest. The Killing Shot is a Western in the classic sense, full of living, breathing characters and boasting a story that never sags." —Tucson Weekly

"Boggs is among the best Western writers at work today. He writes with depth, flavor, and color, all of which are evident in this right-of-passage tale...Boggs tells the familiar story with authenticity and power." -- Booklist on The Lonesome Chisholm Trail

Have you ever wondered who might have been guests of Douglas & Ina Chandor?

The Friends of Chandor Gardens Meeting held on Wednesday, July 19 featured the exciting guest speaker presentation; “Revelations: The Chandor Guest Book” presented by Brenda S. McClurkin.

The presentation, "Revelations: The Chandor Guest Book" , provided insights into the social history of the Chandor household via the signed pages of the Chandor's guest book, which Brenda McClurkin serendipitously came into possession of a few years ago. Brenda has researched the background of those who signed this guest book, and shared details about who they were and the significance of these particular individuals having been guests of the Chandor's . 

The guest book undeniably revealed a number of "revelations"!!

Here are a few of the intriguing guests to the Chandor home revealed through the signed pages of their guest book:

For those who would like to watch the full presentation click on the YouTube link below:

Our sincere appreciation and a huge "Thank-you" goes out to Brenda S. McClurkin for all the hours of research she undertook to bring insight and meaning to the signatures on the pages of the Guest Book and for sharing her findings with us.