CHARLES GOODNIGHT
portrayed by Bob Heinonen
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Charles Goodnight was born in Illinois just as Texas won its independence -- 1836. His family came to Texas just as Texas became a state -- 1845.
By the time he was 20, he got into the cattle business and went on to become the most revered cattleman in Texas history. He blazed new cattle trails like the Goodnight-Loving Trail and founded one of the most important cattle ranches in American history -- the JA Ranch in the Palo Duro Canyon.
For a Texas Heroes Experience, a TEKS supportive Curriculum Guide is sent to the teacher. It gives ideas for pre-and post-performance studies and activities to mulitply the impact of the visit by Charles Goodnight. Also, the Texas Heroes Experience does not end when Bob Heinonen leaves the builiding. Students may e-mail questions to Charles Goodnight after the performance and get a personal response from Bob Heinonen. Get them excited....keep it going!
Famous Texas cattleman Charles Goodnight stepped out of the past and into a New Braunfels Middle School gymnasium Tuesday to give some modern youngsters a short history lesson.
Bob Heinonen as Charles Goodnight
at New Braunfels Middle School in New Braunfels
Trail rider visits NB school
By Leigh Jones
The Herald-Zeitung
Published March 30, 2006
His task was difficult, as the white-headed old man told his audience, because of the restrictions placed on him by school administrators.
"I almost didn't come today because your teacher told me I couldn't spit an' I couldn't cuss. How's a man supposed to think if he can't spit and talk if he can't cuss?" he asked, waving his cane in the air for emphasis.
Although the clapping and whistling that followed the cowboy's statement seemed to indicate the students were dying for him to bend the rules just a little bit, Goodnight behaved like the 19th century gentleman he never was.
For 30 minutes, the old ranch hand held the students captive with stories from the trail, including skirmishes with Comanche Indians.
"I was riding with Sul Ross and the Texas Rangers as their scout," he told them. "It was my job to take the men where they needed to go. I never owned a compass in my life, and I ain't never been lost."
Goodnight went on to talk about his days on the cattle drive between Texas and Colorado and the JA Cattle Ranch, with a 100,000-head heard, he settled in Palo Duro Canyon.
He also gave a detailed description of how he came up with the idea for the "chuck wagon." The vehicle became every cattle drive's most valued piece of equipment, although he said his men were skeptical at first.
At the end of the monologue, Goodnight straightened out of his old man hunch, set down his cane and pulled off his bushy beard, revealing actor Bob Heinonen. The performing historian takes his show all over Texas, performing several famous figures, to help make history come alive for students who might not be overwhelmed by accounts they read in books.
"Well, I didn't cuss an' I didn't spit, did I?" he asked. "Well, I guess I did OK then."
Picture and article from the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung on March 30, 2006
