Howdy Texas history buffs,
Today’s historical buffet — sampled from the free and paid sites published by Hearst Texas newspapers — include:
- Memories of Kitirik, a kiddie TV star in Houston during the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
- A peek at Howard Nursery, which provided the Austin area with plant life for 94 years.
- Options to view historical materialabout Old Town Spring digitally.
- Discovering the secret historical dams that help keep San Antonio safe.
- Celebrating the salvation of a 200-year-old ranch near Laredo.
Remember to send tips and questions for “Think Texas” to [email protected].
Do you remember Kitirik, a star of Houston TV from 1954 to 1971?
For 17 years from 1954 to 1971, tens of thousands — perhaps hundreds of thousands — of Houston children sat glued to their TV sets beguiled by a winsome woman attired in a cat costume: a black leotard, bejeweled collar, mesh hose, mink tail and high heels.
For one hour every weekday afternoon, Wanda Louise “Bunny” Perkins — known to fans as “Kitirik” — threw softball questions to young guests on their birthdays, interviewed visiting Hollywood royalty, goofed around with a disguised clown named “Nod,” chatted with a top-hatted puppeteer named “Skipper,” and introduced vintage cartoons…