Texas is the second largest state in the United States, with an area of 268,597 square miles or 171,902,080 acres. According to the Texas Almanac, the Lone Star State stretches 801 miles in a straight line from north to south and 773 miles from east to west. It is home to some of the best barbecues and the largest farmland and ranches in the country. Since the 19th century, it has been home to presidents, movie stars, musicians, popular heroes and famous outlaws.
If you're curious about this great state, here are 25 fun facts about Texas that you may not have known. The state capital was almost called Waterloo. When a commission inspected the land in 1838, they named the territory after the famous battle. But the Congress of the Republic of Texas ended up renaming the city Austin in honor of founding father Stephen F.March 27-19 was the hottest day in Texas' history.
In Amarillo, the temperature was 35 degrees below zero with snow on the ground, while Brownsville peaked at 106 degrees. Texas has its own giant stone head, a 13-ton rock carved in the shape of John Wayne's face. Unlike Mount Rushmore, this monument is located inside the Lubbock Christian University library. The word “Texas” comes from teysha, which means “friends” or “allies” in the language of East Texas natives. But its best-known ode may come from Hollywood cowboy and Texas native Gene Autry.
He appeared in the movie Heart of the Rio Grande in 1942 and sang “Deep In The Heart of Texas”.The film True Stories (1998), set in the fictional Virgil, Texas and directed by David Byrne of Talking Heads fame, is loosely inspired by the technological empire established by Texas Instruments. There is a lot of Texas between El Paso and Orange, as anyone who has taken a long trip through the Lone Star State would know. The expression “Don't mess with Texas” began as an anti-garbage slogan. Sometimes called “the birthplace of Texas ranching”, the 825,000-acre King Ranch in South Texas covers more land than Rhode Island. Glen Campbell wrote an ode to Galveston, George Strait sang about his exes in Texas and Waylon Jennings had a number one hit on Billboard with “Luckenbach, Texas” in 1977. Texas is home to the world's largest Honky Tonk (where Merle Haggard once bought the world's largest beverage round), a votive candle, a giant pilgrim's head and, of course, the world's largest Texan. The Six Flags amusement park chain was founded in Arlington in 1961 and is named after the six flags of Texas. These are just some of the fun facts about this great state. From its rich history to its unique attractions and culture, there's no doubt that Texas is one of a kind!.
