"A rural area in Texas, Atascosa County is located directly south of San Antonio. The old roads traveled through this land were a route to missions, forts, and places of importance to native, explorers, settlers, wildlife and battle-tested armies. Atascosa County was created in 1856 by the Texas Legislature, and since the land grants were distributed in the late 1800, the population has increased substantially as settlers dealt with Indian raids, drought, and the hardship of farming and ranching. As the rest of America embraced the machine age and technical wonders, Atascosa County has evolved along in stride. Initially, wagons, plows and mules toiled for rural Atascosa County; today, vehicles, tractors, and modern machinery keep the county moving forward. Coined "The Birthplace of the Cowboys" by historian Dr. Ben Parker, the land continues to be dominated by the cattle industry. In modern history, country stars such as Willie Nelson and George Strait have blazed a path through Atascosa County with deep ties and humble beginning."--Back cover