Editing Bandera, Texas (section)

==History==
Bandera was founded in 1855 by [[Polish people|Polish]] [[Roman Catholic]] immigrants from the [[Province of Silesia]].<ref name=Coleman1963>{{cite journal |last1=Coleman |first1=Marion Moore |year=1963 |title=The Polish Origins of Bandera, Texas |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20147631 |journal=Polish American Studies |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=21–27 |doi= |access-date=17 February 2024 }}</ref>{{rp|22, 23}} They built St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, and many local residents are descended from them.<ref name=Coleman1963 />{{rp|27}}

''Bandera'' is the Spanish word for flag. How the town acquired the name is unknown. One theory is that the town is named after [[Bandera Pass]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Horne |first=Justin |date=21 October 2021 |title=Bandera: How did it get its name? |url=https://www.ksat.com/news/2018/02/21/bandera-how-did-it-get-its-name/ |work=KSAT |location=San Antonio, Texas |access-date=17 February 2024 }}</ref>

Bandera was a staging area on the [[Great Western Cattle Trail]], during the late 19th century.<ref name=MySA2022 >{{cite news |last=Romero |first=Gabriel |date=15 March 2022 |title='It doesn't make sense:' Exploring Bandera, the 'Cowboy Capital of the World' |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/bandera-cowboy-capital-16994768.php |work=MySanAntonio.com |location=San Antonio, Texas |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref>

The Cabaret Dance Hall opened in 1936.<ref name=Shetron2017>{{cite web |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/cabaret |title=Cabaret |last=Shetron |first=Tamara H. |date=23 November 2017 |website=Handbook of Texas |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=17 February 2024 |quote=}}</ref> Throughout its history, the dance hall hosted [[Bob Wills]], [[Doug Sahm]], [[Ernest Tubb]], and others.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Ferguson |first=Wes |date=27 August 2020 |title=The Spirit of a Bandera Dance Hall Lives On |url=https://texashighways.com/where-to-stay/the-spirit-bandera-dance-hall-lives-on/ |magazine=Texas Highways |location=Austin, Texas |publisher= |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref> In 2008, the hall was listed as endangered by Preservation Texas.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Wilonsky |first=Robert |date=8 February 2008 |title=Ain't Life Grand? It Is, At Least According to Preservation Texas. |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/aint-life-grand-it-is-at-least-according-to-preservation-texas-7118428 |magazine=Dallas Observer |location=Dallas, Texas |publisher=Voice Media Group, LLC |access-date=17 February 2024 }}</ref> By at least 2013 the hall was closed.<ref name=Shetron2017 /> By at least 2015, the hall was demolished.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Scatter Shots |url=https://actionmagsa.com/wp-content/uploads/issues/2015/1115.pdf |magazine=Action Magazine |page=11 |location= |publisher= |date=November 2015 |access-date=17 February 2024}}</ref>

Bandera hosts a three-day Cowboy Mardi Gras that attracts over 15,000 people from all over the world to the town<!-- of 829 residents -->.<ref name=MySA2022 /><ref>{{cite web | url=https://austin.culturemap.com/news/travel/cowboy-mardi-gras-bandera/ | title=Hill Country town puts a Texas twist on Carnival season for 18th annual Cowboy Mardi Gras - CultureMap Austin }}</ref>