35

Hosted BySara Schleede

I-35 runs nearly 500 miles from Laredo to Gainesville, Texas. Driving along I-35 — through 18 counties and cities like Dallas, Austin and San Antonio — you get a good taste of what Texas is all about. “35” follows host Sara Schleede as she takes a road trip along Interstate 35 and documents the stories she encounters along the way, from oil busts and gentrification to cowboy culture and roadside attractions.

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Cotulla

June 1, 2021 Sara Schleede 35

Cotulla, Texas has used its place on the Eagle Ford Pass, an oil and natural gas field, to keep its economy afloat. However, the latest oil bust has turned Cotulla to a new form of revenue: heritage tourism. Now the sleepy small town is undergoing a transformation to pull drivers off the highway and revitalize the community.

Mostly empty storefronts fill Cotulla’s historic downtown on Front Street, which faces the Union Pacific Railroad. Photo by Sara Schleede.
Plaza Florita
Plaza Florita stands in the middle of the east side of Cotulla, Texas. Photo by Sara Schleede.
Statue of President Lyndon B. Johnson
A statue of President Lyndon B. Johnson stands outside the Welhausen School in Cotulla, Texas. Photo by Sara Schleede.
Audio director
About the Author
Sara Schleede is an audio director with The Drag and host of the '35' and 'Request Pending' podcasts.