Title: 
Headings: RURAL LIFE IN TEXAS
RURAL
 
LIFE
 
IN
 
TEXAS
 

GROWTH
 
OF
 
TOWNS
 

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1
 
of
 
2)
 

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2
 
of
 
2)
 

SOCIAL
 
AND
 
CULTURAL
 
LIFE
 


 
CHANGING
 
POPULATION
 

MIGRATION
 
FROM
 
THE
 
UNITED
 
STATES
 

MEXICAN
 
TEXANS
 

GERMAN
 
TEXANS
 

OTHER
 
IMMIGRANTS
 
FROM
 
EUROPE
 

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2)
 

NATIVE
 
TEXANS
 


Content: In
 
isolated
 
areas
 
families
 
gathered
 
for
 
Saturday
 
night
 
hoedowns. Fiesta
 
activities,
 
long
 
a
 
part
 
of
 
Hispanic
 
culture,
 
included
 
dances,
 
games,
 
and
 
food
 
and
 
were
 
enjoyed
 
by
 
many
 
Texans. Religious
 
celebrations
 
such
 
as
 
weddings,
 
baptisms,
 
and
 
revivals
 
brought
 
people
 
together. Political
 
election
 
rallies
 
often
 
prompted
 
lively
 
debates. A
 
few
 
theater
 
groups
 
entertained
 
those
 
who
 
lived
 
in
 
towns,
 
and
 
newspapers
 
offered
 
information
 
and
 
entertainment
 
to
 
readers. Texas
 
found
 
other
 
ways
 
besides
 
farming
 
to
 
provide
 
for
 
themselves,
 
and
 
the
 
new
 
businesses
 
spurred
 
the
 
rapid
 
growth
 
of
 
towns. Since
 
1853
 
German
 
Texans
 
have
 
celebrated
 
Saengerfest,
 
a
 
German
 
singing
 
festival. Saengerfest
 
is
 
an
 
opportunity
 
for
 
German
 
Texans
 
to
 
celebrate
 
their
 
heritage
 
and
 
show
 
their
 
musical
 
talent. The
 
tradition
 
continues
 
and
 
offers
 
activities
 
not
 
only
 
for
 
German
 
Texans
 
but
 
also
 
for
 
the
 
whole
 
community. The
 
town
 
of
 
Castroville
 
was
 
founded
 
in
 
1844
 
by
 
Henri
 
Castro
 
and
 
is
 
located
 
25
 
miles
 
west
 
of
 
San
 
Antonio.