Flat Top: A Story Of Modern Ranching

by Walter Prescott Webb

Flat A Story of Modern Ranching is a book written by Walter Prescott Webb that tells the story of a modern-day rancher named Jim Flood. Flood is the owner of the Flat Top Ranch, a large cattle ranch in the American West. The book follows Flood as he manages the ranch and deals with the challenges of running a successful business in the modern world.Throughout the book, Webb explores the history of ranching in America and the changes that have taken place in the industry over the years. He also delves into the environmental and economic issues that ranchers face, including the impact of drought, government regulations, and changing consumer preferences.Despite the challenges he faces, Flood is determined to keep the Flat Top Ranch running and to pass it on to future generations. Along the way, he forms relationships with his employees, his family, and the land itself, and learns valuable lessons about the importance of hard work, perseverance, and respect for nature.Overall, Flat A Story of Modern Ranching is a compelling and informative book that offers a unique perspective on the world of ranching and the people who make it their livelihood. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and culture of the American West, as well as those who want to learn more about the challenges and rewards of modern-day ranching.This Essay First Appeared As A Series In The Cattleman, Published In Fort Worth.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

56 pages, Hardcover

Published October 27, 2012

About the author

Webb was raised on the family farm in rural Panola County, Texas. After graduating from Ranger High School in Ranger in Eastland County, he earned a teaching certificate and taught at several Texas schools. He eventually attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1915 at the age of twenty-seven. He worked as bookkeeper in San Marcos and optometrist's assistant in San Antonio, then in 1918 he was invited to join the history faculty at the University of Texas. He wrote his Master of Arts thesis on the Texas Rangers in 1920 and was encouraged to pursue his PhD. After a year of study at the University of Chicago, he returned to Austin, where he began a historical work on the West. The result of this work was The Great Plains, published in 1931, hailed as great breakthrough in the interpretation of the history of the region, and declared the outstanding contribution to American history since World War I by the Social Science Research Council in 1939. He was awarded his PhD for his work on The Great Plains in 1932, the year after its publication.

In 1939-1946 he served as president of the Texas State Historical Association. During his tenure as president, he launched a project to produce an encyclopedia of Texas, which was subsequently published in 1952 as the Handbook of Texas. Webb wrote or edited more than 20 books. One of them, The Texas Rangers (1935) is considered the definitive study of the legendary Texas Rangers and its Captain Bill McDonald.

In 1958 Webb served as president of the American Historical Association.

Webb was killed in an automobile accident near Austin, Texas in 1963.In his honor the University of Texas established the Walter Prescott Webb Chair of History and Ideas. Webb Middle School in Austin, Texas is also named after him