For years, my father had tormented me by letting me know he had a Colt .45 in the house, but I never knew where it was, nor was I even allowed to set eyes upon the shooting iron that I imagined was nickel-plated with a 5.5-inch barrel and stag grips.
This year, the Texas Ranger Division is celebrating its 200th anniversary. Although some historians date the beginning of the organization to 1835, the Rangers themselves trace their beginnings back to Stephen F. Austin’s colony and the organization of ranging companies to protect the early settlers.