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.
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.
Interstate 35 begins in the border city of Laredo, and its role as a major port of entry has made it more than just an economic hub. Since 1898, it’s been home to Washington’s Birthday Celebration, a month-long series of events attracting over 400,000 guests in honor of America’s first president. But what does such a patriotic celebration mean in a city so intertwined in Mexican history?
Giant, kitschy roadside attractions dominated American roadways in the 1960s. Among them were fiberglass figurines known as muffler men, drawing travelers into restaurants, auto shops, and even a sandblasting shop off I-35 in Gainesville, Texas. These quirky constructions reveal insights into the history of advertising and America’s attachment to nostalgia.
From the people who brought you “The Orange Tree,” “35” tells the stories about Texas beyond the stereotypes. Instead, you’ll hear stories about Texas you don’t already know — through a road trip along Texas’ main artery, Interstate 35.
With producer Sara Schleede whipping up her next podcast, “35,” we’ve been thinking quite a lot about Interstate 35 and the road trips we, staff members at The Drag,...
As a senior graduating in May, Sara Schleede is transforming her connection to Interstate 35 into a long-form podcast titled “35.” The five-episode podcast will explore the histories and stories along I-35 within the state of Texas, and it’s set to air just in time for Schleede’s graduation. Schleede hopes listeners will learn about aspects of Texas they didn’t know before and gain a better vision of what the state beholds.
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