In 1876 salesman John W. Gates brought barbed wire to Texas when he wagered $1 million that he could build a fence that would capably contain cattle. Some incredulous gambler took the bet. Gates ...

A few of our readers knew about our mystery tool from the Antique Toolbox column Sept. 27 — some, from personal experience. The tool is part of the collection of the Landis Valley Village & Farm ...

It’s ugly, dangerous and destructive. In its time, it was heralded as one of history’s great inventions. In the 1870s, barbed wire fencing was advertised as “The Greatest Discovery of the Age.” Joseph ...

One day as I was driving from my home near Kraemer Lake, I noticed a small herd of cattle in a pasture fenced with barbed wire. It brought back memories. Wire had been a much-used commodity on our ...