- Table View
- List View
Men of Steel: The Story of the Family That Built the World Trade Center
by Richard Firstman Karl Koch IIII knew almost immediately why the towers collapsed the way they did. And I sat there and cried. I wept for the thousands I knew must have died. And I wept because we built the damn things. Like millions of people around the world, Karl Koch III watched in disbelief as the World Trade Center collapsed right before his eyes on the morning of September 11, 2001. But the sadness that tormented him in the days and weeks that followed was fueled not only by the compassion and anger that most of us felt but also by his intimate connection with every beam and column in the Twin Towers. In 1966, the Karl Koch Erecting Company, founded by the author's grandfather and father in the 1920s, had been awarded the contract to erect the 200,000 tons of steel and more than 6 million square feet of floor that would turn a grand idea more than a decade in the making into the world's two tallest buildings. It would be the crowning achievement for a proud family enterprise that had built many of America's most important buildings, from Washington landmarks such as the U. S. Supreme Court and the Library of Congress buildings to such fabled New York hotels as the Pierre and the New Yorker to the half-mile-long, 42-acre plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that was the birthplace of the hydrogen bomb. But none of those projects could prepare this company of fathers and sons and brothers and uncles for the challenges confronting them on erecting the Twin Towers. In Men of Steel, Koch and award-winning author Richard Firstman tell the complete and fascinating story of the creation of the World Trade Center: the politics behind its conception, the innovative thinking that went into its design, the drama of its construction, and the truth behind its destruction. But the story of the Twin Towers is the climax to a saga that starts a century earlier, when the author's grandfather, the son of a German immigrant, drove his first rivets by hand into our nation's earliest steel structures. It brings to life the rough-and-tumble iron working culture, a world where men with names like Toots Garrity and Hole in the Head Himpler climbed hundreds of feet into the air, erecting steel with great pride despite the very real threat of death and injury they faced every day. Men of Steel is a brilliant evocation of a family dynasty inextricably intertwined with the steel that makes up many of our nation's most prominent landmarks. In the tradition of David McCullough's The Great Bridge, this rich, multilayered narrative exposes the heart and soul that goes into making these remarkable structures. And, most poignantly, in recounting the making and unmaking of the World Trade Center, Men of Steel is at once a lament and a tribute, both to the illustrious buildings and to the country whose strength they symbolized.
Men's Fashion Illustrations from the Turn of the Century
by Jean L. Druesedow Mitchell Co.Over 100 full-page, royalty-free illustrations document what well-dressed American men wore in early 1900s: checked and striped business suits, sporty knickers and jackets, elegant formal wear, long fur-trimmed coats, more. Includes variety of accessories: canes, gloves, spats.
Men's Lacrosse in Maryland: The Pride of the Old Line State (Sports)
by Tom FlynnSpring in Maryland means one thing: lacrosse. As much a part of the state as crab cakes and the Chesapeake Bay, lacrosse is king at every level, from youth rec and club to high school, college and the pros. Since the state first fielded teams in the 1870s, Marylanders have played with a unique combination of finesse, speed and passion. The "Maryland style" of play built a long line of national powerhouses at all levels. With extensive research and dozens of photographs, journalist Tom Flynn traces the long history of the sport in Maryland from its Native American roots to its first arrival in the state and on to the modern highlights. Fans will rediscover their many past champions and gain a glimpse of teams that promise to elevate the sport's status as the pride of the Old Line State.
Men's Tailoring: Bespoke, Theatrical and Historical Tailoring 1830-1950
by Graham CottendenMen’s Tailoring: Bespoke, Theatrical and Historical Tailoring 1830-1950 introduces the reader to English tailoring and covers the drafting of patterns, cutting out in cloth, and the complete traditional construction techniques in sequence for the tailoring of a waistcoat, trousers and jacket. The book contains: step-by-step instructions, complete with illustrations, for students and costumiers who are new to the making of male tailored garments from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; drafting blocks and construction techniques for the main three styles of nineteenth century male garments: frock coat, morning coat and dress coat; patterns, photographs and detailed measurements taken from a variety of male coats, jackets, waistcoats and trousers from c1830 - c1950 from museums and collections. From choosing the right cloth to preparing for the fitting process, this how-to guide will help readers create beautiful, historically accurate three-piece suits for events and performances.
Men, Masculinities and Sexualities in Dance: Transgression and its Limits (Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences)
by Andria ChristofidouThis book examines men, masculinities and sexualities in Western theatrical dance, offering insights into the processes, actions and interactions that occur in dance institutions around gender-transgressive acts, and the factors that set limits to transgression. This text uses interview and observation data to analyze the conditions that encourage some boys and young men to become involved in this widely unconventional activity, and the ways through which they negotiate the gendered and sexual attachments of their professional identity. Most importantly, the book analyzes the opportunities male dancers find to develop a reflexive habitus, engage in gender transgressive acts and experiment with their sexuality. At the same time, it approaches gender and sexuality as embodied, and therefore as parts of identity that are not as easily amendable. This book will be of interest to scholars in Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Dance and Performance Studies.
Men, Women & Pianos
by Arthur LoesserSome of the greatest composers of history have confined some of their most precious thoughts to the piano. For a century and a half, series of pianists of outstanding nimbleness and expressive power have attracted millions of admirers to their performances. Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin, Liszt, Rubinstein and Rachmaninov, to achieve the fulfillment of their art, needed to have pianos. From where did they get them? From factories, of course. But piano factories cannot stay in business simply by making a few instruments for a few great musicians. They must sell their products annually by the hundreds, by the thousands, to all manner of persons: doctors, lawyers, merchants, government officials. What did those persons want with pianos? This book may supply some answers to this question." That is the modest raison d'être for his book given by the author in a letter to the publisher. But any reader will see at once that the proliferations in the answer to his question result in something much more important and delightful. What Mr. Loesser has written is really a piano's-eye view of the social--and sometimes the philosophical--history of Western Europe and the United States from the seventeenth century to the present, with glances both forward and back. With a keen eye for both the ridiculous and the significant detail (which turn out often to be the same thing), he traces the history of the design and manufacture of the piano, and the music written for it, from its predecessors, the clavichord and the virginal, to the latest concert grand and the modern "spinet." Long established as an internationally known concert pianist, Mr. Loesser here shows himself to be an elegant stylist and an impressively learned scholar, who has the wit to see that in a social history the role of the interior decorator may be quite as important as that of the virtuoso--and that of the ambitious parent, more important than either.
Mend & Make Fabulous: Sewing Solutions & Fashionable Fixes
by Denise WildGive your clothes a new lease on life! Showing how to take classic mending techniques one step further to add personality and style to clothes, Mend & Make Fabulous is a uniquely comprehensive resource that combines visual inspiration with practical advice for the fashion-conscious sewer. The ability to repair and restore clothes is priceless, and Mend & Make Fabulous provides a comprehensive guide to all the classic mending techniques and then some: holes and tears; ripped or frayed seams; discoloration, stains, or fading; broken snaps and closures; and so much more. This book also shows you how to add some creativity to mending--fixing holes with studs or appliqué; hiding discolorations by dip-dyeing; concealing frayed hems by adding cuffs or trim-that will make clothes even more fabulous than they were the first time around. Mend & Make Fabulous offers a detailed or consolidated resource on all the mending techniques you need in order to work with all types of clothing mishaps.
Mend It Better: Creative Patching, Darning, and Stitching
by Kristin M. RoachWelcome to the new face of mending! Don’t hide patches — make them into bold, beautiful embellishments. Repair holes with colorful thread and a creative darning stitch, or use fun embroidery to bring new life to a stained shirt. With detailed step-by-step photography, Kristin Roach teaches you a wide range of patching, darning, and repair stitches using both hand and machine sewing. Revive your wardrobe with these traditional mending techniques to make worn-out clothing not just wearable, but better than ever.
Mend It, Wear It, Love It!: Stitch Your Way to a Sustainable Wardrobe
by Zoe EdwardsA practical tool kit for mending and upcycling your wardrobe.It's &“sew&” simple to give your wardrobe an eco-chic edge! With fast fixes and clever techniques, this accessible, fully illustrated sewing book has everything you need to mend, customize and care for your clothes.Parting with damaged, yet beloved, clothes can be one of the saddest things, but what if you were able to fix those holes, give them a fresher look, and extend their life? Luckily, with this guide to mending and patching, you don&’t have to say goodbye to your favorite clothing items ever again!Now you can cherish all your garments, even those in the furthest corner of your closet! This sewing book for beginners will help you master the skills to repair a seam and mend a hem, even if you&’ve never touched a needle and thread before!Enjoy Your Clothes for LongerThis sewing book arms you with the techniques you need to enjoy your clothes for longer and express your creativity. Detailed step-by-step illustrations and clear instructions explain how to sew, repurpose, and care for your clothes in a range of materials. For anyone who cares about reducing fashion waste but doesn't want to sacrifice style, this is the book for you! It addresses the way mending is great for fashion sustainability and gives you the low down on &“fast fashion&”. From polluting ecosystems and breeding unsafe work environments, discover the huge human and environmental impacts those irresistibly cheap t-shirts have.The Art of Mending and Sewing Mend It. Wear It. Love It is for everyone! Packed full of simple fixes, as well as more advanced techniques, this book is perfect for sewers, crafters, and fashion lovers of all experience levels.
Mend!: A Refashioning Manual and Manifesto
by Kate SekulesA hands-on manual and a history and celebration of clothes tending--and its remarkable resurgence as art form, political statement, and path to healing the planet.For thousands of years, mending was a deep craft that has for too long been a secret history. But now it's back, bigger and better than ever. In this book Kate Sekules introduces the art of visible mending as part of an important movement to give fashion back its soul. Part manifesto, part how-to, MEND! calls for bold new ways of keeping clothes and refreshing your style. Crammed with tips, fun facts, ravishing photography, and illustrated tutorials, MEND! tells you exactly how to rescue and renew your wardrobe with flair and aplomb--and save money along the way.Whether you've never owned a needle or are an aspiring professional, MEND! gives you clear instruction and witty advice, with over thirty techniques, from classic darning and patching to cheeky new methods invented by Sekules, to help you turn every garment into a unique fashion statement. Including interviews with menders, shameful fashion industry facts, a ten-step closet mend, cheat sheets, stitch guides, moth elimination, museum conservator and vintage dealer tricks, and more, this is a book to inspire, delight, and galvanize. Sharp, funny, and incredibly timely, MEND! leads the slow fashion revolution into its next phase, where getting dressed is a joyful, creative experience for all.
Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts
by Nina Montenegro Sonya MontenegroMending Life is a beautifully illustrated, practical tool kit for repairing the clothes and belongings we love. It is also an exploration of how mending can be a gently healing practice in our daily lives and a small act of rebellion in a world where many things are discarded without thought.Mending Life encourages us to cherish our things by repairing them rather than discarding them. It also encourages us to change our consumption habits so that with small mends here and there, we extend the life of our garments and other household items. This handbook is for beginners but also offers more advanced techniques to those with some experience in mending. You'll learn basic techniques such as patching, but will have options to take it a step further with decorative sashiko stitching; you'll also learn how to darn socks and mend sweaters, as well as things like a tear in a bedsheet or down jacket. And along the way, the authors share heartfelt stories about the powerful act of mending, which strengthens not only the object we are repairing, but ourselves as well. Vibrant, full-color illustrations are woven throughout the handbook. Mending Life is a timeless, practical guide to cherishing and caring for our belongings.
Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More
by Katrina RodabaughThis guide explores visible mending techniques in both hands-on projects and thoughtful insight about how mending relates to mindful well-being.Mending Matters explores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than twenty projects that showcase visible mending—styles that are edgy, modern, and bold, yet draw on traditional stitching. It does all this with just four simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being. In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves. She also examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.
Menominee Indians (Images of America)
by Gavin SchmittIn Wisconsin history, no single group has been on the land longer than the Menominee Indians. While other tribes were pushed west by the Europeans and Americans, the Menominee stayed firm and held on to their ancestral homeland. Though their territory has been greatly diminished, there is something to be said about raising a family in the same place as your parents and their parents, going back thousands of years. Their interaction with the white man dates back to the days of explorer Jean Nicolet in 1634. Since then, they have been both allies and foes of the Europeans. Tribal leaders distinguished themselves in trade and war, with cities named in their honor: Oshkosh, Keshena, and Tomah. Many other Wisconsin cities have names derived from the Menominee language. The 20th century brought new challenges, but after some setbacks, the tribe forged ahead. Today, it is one of the most prominent tribes in the state, if not the nation, thanks to leaders like Ada Deer and Sylvia Wilber.
Menomonie
by Ann Christy DybvikHistoric Menomonie lies alongside the beautiful Red Cedar River in western Wisconsin. A town with a rich, diverse history, it grew to become home to a massive lumbering era spearheaded by four innovative pioneer men whose heritage continues to identify the city. Lumbering gave way to the establishment of respected sleigh, brick, piano, and cigar factories in the early 1900s. Throughout these eras, up until the present, inventors, artists, educators, philanthropists, and farmers all put their stamp on the town. Home to the popular Red Cedar Trail, it also is the site of the Mabel Tainter Theatre, an ornate historic building constructed to memorialize a young daughter. Dairy farms still pepper the hillsides, small businesses line Main Street, farmers still market products in the park, and Stout University leads the way in education; and always the arts abound in the nooks and valleys that comprise Menomonie."
Menswear Dog Presents the New Classics: Fresh Looks for the Modern Man
by David Fung Yena KimBodhi, the Shiba Inu behind the beloved blog Menswear Dog, is here to show you how to dress like a man. Organized seasonally, The New Classics highlights the timeless, can’t-go-wrong items every man needs in his wardrobe—from a chambray shirt to a perfectly fitted peacoat (all modeled by Bodhi, of course)—and shows how to mix and match them all year long. Whatever your style dilemma, dog’s got your back! Readers will learn what to wear to a summer wedding, when to splurge (on the perfect white dress shirt) and when to save (snag your military field jacket at a thrift store), the secrets to getting the right fit, the brands that stand the test of time, the basics of clothing care, and more.
Mental Floss: A Miscellany of Fantastic Films from the Past 50 Years
by Jennifer M. Wood Mental FlossCinephiles rejoice! From Mental Floss, an online destination for more than a billion curious minds since its founding in 2001, comes the ultimate book for movie lovers. The Curious Movie Buff is filled with fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes insights about the making of your favorite movies from the last 50 years. Every film fan will find something to love, with the team at Mental Floss profiling more than 60 films of the past half-century, from well-known blockbusters to critical favorites and cult classics. The highlighted titles span across various decades and genres and include iconic franchises like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, Oscar-winning classics like The Godfather and Titanic, rip-roaring comedies from Blazing Saddles and The Big Lebowski, indie hits like Reservoir Dogs and Paranormal Activity, and superhero favorites such as Superman and The Dark Knight. Throughout are quirky sidebars from the Mental Floss archives, such &“Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Locations You Can Visit IRL,&” &“Remakes That Are Better than the Original Movie,&” The 25 Best Movie Endings of All Time,&” &“Summer &‘Blockbusters&’ That Completely Tanked at the Box Office,&” and &“The Best Movie Trailers Ever.&” TRIVIA ABOUT MORE THAN 60 MOVIES: Get the inside scoop, fascinating facts, and behind-the-scenes trivia on the greatest movies from the past 50 years, from serious dramas such as The Godfather to seriously funny comedies like The Big Lebowski FASCINATING AND INLayoutIVE LISTS: Learn about movie locations you can visit, what movies have the best endings, and which movies scraped the bottom of the barrel with Mental Floss&’s info-packed lists SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: Whether you&’re in the mood for a classic, jonesing for a good Western, wondering what sci-fi films you&’ve missed, or just want to discover a new movie, the team at Mental Floss will steer you in the right direction THE PERFECT GIFT FOR MOVIE FANS: Mental Floss: The Curious Movie Buff is the ideal gift for the film enthusiasts in your life.
Mental Floss: The Curious Viewer Ultimate TV Trivia & Quiz Book
by Jennifer M. Wood Mental FlossImpress your friends, family, and coworkers with fascinating facts about favorite TV shows and test your own TV trivia knowledge with dozens of challenging and entertaining quizzes. Did you know... Succession relies on &“wealth consultants&” to ensure authenticity on how the richest of the rich live? A fan of The Office, after recalling the episode where Steve Carell&’s character arranges a (disastrous) CPR training session, successfully performed CPR on an unconscious stranger? Fraggle Rock was the first American TV series broadcast in Russia? Learn the stories behind these obscure TV tidbits and much more! With fun trivia, challenging quizzes, and log pages for your own lists, Mental Floss: The Curious Viewer Ultimate Quiz and Trivia Book will become as indispensable for your next binge-watch as your remote control. DOZENS OF FUN AND CHALLENGING QUIZZES: Test your TV knowledge with quizzes like "Two Degrees Of" your favorite celebrities, and "Match the Quote to the Simpsons Character" TRIVIA ABOUT MORE THAN 100 TV SHOWS: Get the inside scoop, fascinating facts, and mind-boggling trivia on the greatest shows from the past 20 years, from serious dramas such as Law and Order to seriously funny comedies like Ted Lasso MAKE IT YOUR OWN: Dozens of pages with fill-in lists, such as "Shows I Want to Binge" and "My Favorite TV Quotes" to "Shows I Started but Never Finished" and "My Favorite Shows of All Time."
Mentor
by Thomas G. Matowitz Jr.One of the first towns settled in the lands once known as Connecticut's Western Reserve, Mentor continues to thrive more than two centuries later. After starting out in 1797 as a sparsely populated wilderness outpost with only a handful of permanent residents, Mentor has transformed into a vibrant 21st-century city. The earliest settlers began the great task of felling trees, clearing land, and establishing farms to provide themselves with food and shelter during the area's harsh winters. Through the 19th century, Mentor's growth was slow but steady. Its citizens not only included hardworking farmers and artisans, but wealthy turn-of-the-20th-century Cleveland business leaders, a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, and the 20th president of the United States, James A. Garfield. Once known for extensive farmland, grand country estates, interurban railroads, and some of the finest nurseries in the country, Mentor is now a diverse community with more than 50,000 residents and a strong and burgeoning local economy.
Mentoring History Teachers in the Secondary School: A Practical Guide (Mentoring Trainee and Early Career Teachers)
by Laura London Terry Haydn Victoria CrooksMentoring History Teachers in the Secondary School supports mentors to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding essential to the successful mentoring of beginning history teachers who are undertaking their initial teacher training or being inducted into the profession as early career teachers. The authors critically explore models of mentoring and place subject specificity at the heart of every chapter, offering practical mentoring strategies rooted in the best evidence and research from the history teaching community. This book is a vital source of encouragement and inspiration for all those involved in developing the next generation of history teachers, providing accessible summaries of history-specific thinking on a range of topics alongside mentoring support. Key topics include: • Understanding what being a subject-specific mentor of beginning history teachers involves. • Establishing a dialogic mentor-mentee relationship. • Supporting beginning teachers to develop the substantive and disciplinary knowledge they need to become excellent history teachers. • Guiding beginning history teachers through the lesson planning process. • Conducting subject-specific lesson observations and pre- and post-lesson discussions. • Supporting beginning history teachers to consider the purpose of history education and how they can navigate this in relation to values education, the use of ICT, and the teaching of controversial and sensitive issues. Mentoring History Teachers in the Secondary School offers an accessible and practical guide to mentoring beginning history teachers, with ready-to-use strategies to support and inspire both mentors and beginning teachers alike.
Menus for Movieland
by Richard AbelAt the turn of the past century, the main function of a newspaper was to offer "menus" by which readers could make sense of modern life and imagine how to order their daily lives. Among those menus in the mid-1910s were several that mediated the interests of movie manufacturers, distributors, exhibitors, and the rapidly expanding audience of fans. This writing about the movies arguably played a crucial role in the emergence of American popular film culture, negotiating among national, regional, and local interests to shape fans' ephemeral experience of moviegoing, their repeated encounters with the fantasy worlds of "movieland," and their attractions to certain stories and stars. Moreover, many of these weekend pages, daily columns, and film reviews were written and consumed by women, including one teenage girl who compiled a rare surviving set of scrapbooks. Based on extensive original research, Menus for Movieland substantially revises what moviegoing meant in the transition to what we now think of as Hollywood.
Men’s Friendships as Feminist Politics?: Power, Intimacy, and Change (Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences)
by Klara GoedeckeThis book discusses men’s friendships in relation to queer, discursive, and intersectional feminist theories. It analyses stories of intimacy, touch, hugs, and conversations, connecting these with current discussions within feminism and critical masculinity studies on “new” men, men’s political activism, and how friendships are lived and conceptualised in relation to heteronormative relationship ideals. Drawing on individual and dyadic interviews with middle-class Swedish men, all engaged in or sympathetic to feminist issues in some sense, this volume shows that Swedish gender equality ideologies as well as feminist, therapeutic, neo-liberal, and individualist discourses prevalent in the Western world structured the men’s friendships and their engagement with gender politics. Chapters cover friendship temporalities, gendered friendship ideals, friendship as men’s politics, and friendship as performed in interaction. Bridging the literatures of feminist research and friendship, the author points to tensions and contradictions in pro-feminist men’s political projects and in contemporary masculine positions.
Merce Cunningham: After the Arbitrary
by Carrie NolandOne of the most influential choreographers of the twentieth century, Merce Cunningham is known for introducing chance to dance. Far too often, however, accounts of Cunningham’s work have neglected its full scope, focusing on his collaborations with the visionary composer John Cage or insisting that randomness was the singular goal of his choreography. In this book, the first dedicated to the complete arc of Cunningham’s career, Carrie Noland brings new insight to this transformative artist’s philosophy and work, providing a fresh perspective on his artistic process while exploring aspects of his choreographic practice never studied before. Examining a rich and previously unseen archive that includes photographs, film footage, and unpublished writing by Cunningham, Noland counters prior understandings of Cunningham’s influential embrace of the unintended, demonstrating that Cunningham in fact set limits on the role chance played in his dances. Drawing on Cunningham’s written and performed work, Noland reveals that Cunningham introduced variables before the chance procedure was applied and later shaped and modified the chance results. Chapters explore his relation not only to Cage, but also Marcel Duchamp, Robert Rauschenberg, James Joyce, and Bill T. Jones. Ultimately, Noland shows that Cunningham approached movement as more than “movement in itself,” and that his work enacted archetypal human dramas. This remarkable book will forever change our appreciation of the choreographer’s work and legacy.
Merce Cunningham: Creative Elements (Choreography and Dance Studies Series #Vols. 4, Pts. 2.)
by Joan Acocella David Vaughan Gordon Mumma Thecla Schiphorst William Fetterman Elliot Caplan Marilyn Vaughan Drown John Holzaepfel Nelson RiveraMerce Cunningham reached the age of 75 in 1994, an age at which many creative artists are content to rest on their laurels, or at least to leave behind whatever controversies they may have caused during their careers. No so Cunningham. In the first place, his 70s have been a time of intense creativity in which he has choreographed as many as four new works a year. Cunningham is a strongly committed as ever to the discovery of new ways of moving and of making movement, refusing to be hampered by the physical limitations that have come with age. Since 1991 every new work has been made at least in part with the use of the computer program Life Forms, which enables him to devise choreographic phrases that he himself would be unable to perform - and which challenge and develop the virtuosity of the young dancers in his company.The essays collected in this special issue of Choreography and Dance were written over the last few years and discuss various aspects of the work of Cunningham as seen both from the outside and the inside.
Merce Cunningham: The Modernizing of Modern Dance
by Roger CopelandFirst Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Mercedes
by Beatrice de Edwards EdDMercedes is located in Hidalgo County in South Texas in a geographic area called the Lower Rio Grande Valley, which is really a river delta at the mouth of the Rio Grande River first inhabited by Coahuiltecans. Spanish colonists arrived in this area in 1749 to establish ranching communities. In 1905, the American Rio Grande Land and Irrigation Company purchased land in the Llano Grande Spanish land grant, built Mercedes as a showcase headquarters, constructed the largest irrigation system then known, and proceeded to develop the area through commercialized agriculture. Home of notable author Dr. Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, G.I. Forum founder Dr. Hector P. García, Olympic athlete Billy Gene Pemelton, US congressman Rubén Hinojosa, and the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, Mercedes continues to attract many visitors who seek the mild climate and warm hospitality of the town.