TCU 360 News
Texan restores faded history, one marker at a time
Lifelong Texas resident Chris Woolsey travels across the state filming himself doing what he loves: preserving Texas history by restoring sun-stained, water-damaged and forgotten historical markers.
Growing up in the Dallas suburbs, Woolsey learned Texas pride early in his life when his father insisted on family road trips over flying.
That decision helped Woolsey appreciate the scenery and landmarks that are often dismissed as flyover country.
“There were always two things that we pulled over for on road trips, and that was scenic views and historical markers,” Woolsey said. “That was our thing, and that’s how I really came to enjoy learning about Texas history.”
With motorcycle racing aspirations, Woolsey never considered the restoration work he does today. After realizing he would not pursue a racing career, Woolsey began working as a contractor.
With a flexible schedule, Woolsey had time for new hobbies, and he found restoration work in an unexpected way.
“I went to visit a historical marker, and it wasn’t there,” Woolsey said. “I looked it up on the Texas Historical Commission’s website, just to find out which one it was, and I found they actually allow volunteer work on these. I thought that would be a cool hobby.”
Woolsey started his hobby this summer and began posting it on social media.
“I thought that seeing the before-and-after side of [restoration] would be really cool, and maybe somebody might find it interesting,” Woolsey said. “I thought I might be able to share it with my friends and family and it kind of exploded.”
As of November 2025, Woolsey has about 19,000 followers on both TikTok and Instagram. His restoration videos have reached viewers across the country, beyond just Texans.
With a growing audience, Woolsey hopes his videos help viewers notice the history around them and understand how their communities came to be. He also wants people to know their neighbors and take pride in where they live.
Woolsey said he hopes younger Texans embrace the same sense of community pride that motivates his restoration work.
“Being proud of where you’re from doesn’t mean looking down on other places,” Woolsey said. “It means seeing what you can make better and using your time or skills to do it.”
He believes that making a change does not require one big gesture, but just effort.
“Helping your neighbor or your community, even in small ways, can change how you see the world,” Woolsey said. “If you’re ever feeling down, go do something for someone else with no expectation of getting anything back. A little hard work can go a long way.”
Local band with ties to TCU set to release debut single
DFW band T.A.C. will release their debut studio single Oct. 9. “Comes and Goes” will be available on all streaming platforms.
Lead singer and rhythm guitar player Jack Laughlin, who graduated from TCU with a finance degree in 2025, spoke about his creative process when writing “Comes and Goes” about a year ago.
“I remember being really happy about the lyrics and using a bit more imagery,” Laughlin said. “It was the first song where we had to figure out what the process of demoing and coming up with all the parts was like.”
Laughlin described the song creation process as a collaborative one, with each band member including their input or adding different features.
Lead guitarist and back-up singer Max Hughes expressed his enthusiasm for the song’s studio-quality recording.
“I’m just excited for people to be able to hear actual, good studio-quality music,” Hughes said. “We’ve played it live, so that’s the big difference.”
Born on the TCU campus, T.A.C.’s origin came from Laughlin’s search for musicians who had similar musical beliefs and ambitions to his, he said. When Laughlin met bass player True Hughes, a junior nursing major, in 2024, it was an immediate match.
Soon, True introduced his brother, Max, to Laughlin, and T.A.C. was born.
Starting with open-mic nights in Dallas, the band has expanded to performances around the Metroplex and throughout Texas.
T.A.C. said their biggest strength is their live shows and hopes their new music will represent that same energy.
“I think that people should definitely come see [“Comes and Goes”] live,” Laughlin said. “I think what we do is going to translate pretty well over these recordings. But to really see the band in its purest form, it’s definitely live.”
In the future, T.A.C. hopes to perform at increasingly larger venues, as well as release a full-length album and re-record some tracks in the studio.
Oktoberfest in Fort Worth brings Germany to Texas
A glimpse of Munich returns to Trinity Park Sept. 25-27 with the annual Fort Worth Oktoberfest. The three-day event brings traditional German beer, food, attire and music, all provided by authentic German vendors.
“We try to follow the original Munich model, where you have multiple beer halls with entertainment,” Shanna Granger, the event coordinator said. “You can dance and sing, or sit in a beer garden and drink, but it’s always lively.”
Attendance reached 30,000 last year, up from 23,000 in 2022.
The festival is popular with the TCU German Club.
“Last year we just had a lot of fellowship, just hanging out by the food, trying different things,” Theo Batty, the TCU German Club president said. “We would practice our German there as well. Overall, having a place where it feels like home for the club was really nice. I’m looking forward to getting into the more cultural activities this year.”
Opening night pays homage to an iconic tradition from Munich with a ceremonial tapping of the keg.
“In Germany, the mayor of Munich, every year to kick off [Oktoberfest], grabs a wooden mallet and hits the spout of a big wooden keg and the beer comes out,” Granger said. “At our Oktoberfest, everybody lines up on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and people get their free beer.”
From there, guests can wander into air-conditioned beer halls, relax under the trees of the beer gardens or explore what the German market has to offer. Families can enjoy carnival rides and amusements, dachshund races and nightly stein-hoisting contests. Friday’s Oktoberfest Olympics raises money for local nonprofits.
“Within the festival, you’ve got your main things, the beer, the food, the music, but then all these little activities going on,” Granger said. “There’s always something to do.”
While Fort Worth may have its own Texas spin on the tradition, Oktoberfest itself is rooted in Bavarian history.
“It’s a Bavarian custom,” Scott Williams, a TCU German professor said. “It started when King Ludwig married Princess Therese in 1810. They made a week-long celebration with horse races and, of course, lots of beer. The meadow where it happened was named for the princess, and the people kept celebrating year after year.”
For Batty and the TCU German Club, as well as the TCU community, the Fort Worth event offers both an element of convenience and culture.
“Oktoberfest is just a quick drive from campus,” Batty said. “It’s definitely not an opportunity exclusive for people in the German program. Anyone can take advantage of seeing a different culture and overall, have a fun night.”