Facts About Texas

eMail | 2-10-04 | unknown

[FlyLow]

No one asked for these, but here are some little known facts about Texas. I know y'all just can't wait to read them!

Beaumont to El Paso: 742 miles Beaumont to Chicago: 770 miles World's first rodeo was in Pecos... July 4, 1883. The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built over water. The Heisman Trophy was named after John William Heisman who was the first full time coach for Rice University, Houston. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other area in North America. Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes. Jalapeno jelly originated in Lake Jackson in 1978. The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was in 1900 caused by a hurricane in which over 8000 lives were lost on Galveston Island. The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was "Houston." El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas. Laredo is the world's largest inland port. Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is the world's largest rose garden with over 38,000 bushes with 500 varieties on 22 acres. The State shell is Lightning Whelk. King Ranch is larger than Rhode Island. Tropical Storm Claudette brought a U.S. rainfall record of 43" in 24 hours in and around Alvin in July 1979. Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, instead of by annexation. (This allows the Texas flag to fly a t the same height as the US flag.) A Live Oak tree near Fulton is estimated to be 1500 years old. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period after Dr in Dr Pepper. Texas has had six capital cities . 1. Washington-on-the-Brazos 2. Harrisburg 3. Galveston 4. Velasco 5. West Columbia 6. Austin The Capitol Dome in Austin is the only dome in the U.S. which is taller than the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (by 7 feet). The name Texas comes from the Hasini Indian word "Tejas" meaning friends. Tejas is not Mexican for Texas. The State animal is the Armadillo. * The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston.

IT IS THE ONLY STATE THAT CAN HAVE A REFERENDUM AND DIVIDE ITSELF INTO FIVE (5) STATES, PER ITS TREATY TO BECOME PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

*An interesting bit of trivia about the armadillo is they always have four babies! They have one egg which splits into four and they either have four males or four females. Well... I thought it was interesting anyway!

[SamAdams76]

I am reading a book called "Friday Night Lights" (great book by the way) about high school football in Texas. This high school football team in Odessa built a 20,000 seat stadium for their team. Some of their road games are 500 miles away (still in Texas) and they charter a 737 to get to them. No kidding. The book is blowing my mind.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Good one!

[Xenalyte]

Yet you allow millions of illegal aliens to run loose all over the state?

Dear Kettle,

I am not impressed.

Love,
Pot

[MEG33]

Great thread!

[Xenalyte]

Carlo, Ditter has never eaten an armadillo? Can we help?

[thackney]

Another interesting fact that more people fought at the Alamo from the states of OH, KY, TN, AL, and many other states, than people from the TX Teritory (If I remember right, that number was 3). So TX you are welcome. Your ability to join the US was paid for with the blood of NON Texans.

Uhm... we lost at the Alamo. I guess by your reasoning, if we depended on non-Texans, we would NOT have joined the Union.

[shaggy eel]

ping

[TexasRedeye]

Ah, the armadillo!

Also referred to as "Texas Speed Bumps" because even if you manage to split the tires over them (tires go on either side of them) on the road, the fright will make them jump straight upward and kills them. Makes a frightful noise!

BTW - one good thing is, the road kill makes for good Texas Chili!!!!!

[Flyer]

Ditter has never eaten an armadillo? Can we help?

I go driving after dark and see if I can hit the main ingredient.

[MPJackal]

"Uhm... we lost at the Alamo. I guess by your reasoning, if we depended on non-Texans, we would NOT have joined the Union".

Well actually, we lost that battle (Since no Texans came to help), but we won the war. Yes, I know you may not understand that standing in line at Taco Bell brushing up on your spanish so the cashier can understand you.

[shaggy eel]

,,, how big do armadillos get? - if they survive Texas tyres.

[shaggy eel]

ping

[deport]

Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY

---

The Treaty was never ratified by both parties ..... thus Texas enter the Union through a Joint Resolution as approved in Congress on Mar. 1, 1845 and accepted/finalized on Dec. 29, 1845.....

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Heisman who was the first full time coach for Rice University

He never coached for Rice University, he did however coach for Rice Institute!

[Xenalyte]

Anywhere from two to 20 pounds - 1 to 10 KG.

[thackney]

but we won the war

Just what percentage of Sam Houston's Army at the Battle of San Jacinto was not "Texan"?

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Phil Sheridan was a stupid yankee. Too bad so many of his countrymen ended up down here.

[Rebelbase]

"Armadillo.......possum on the half shell"

Toughest, gristle meat I've ever eaten.

[Ditter]

Come over here & set up your blind on my back porch. You'll get your limit by mid night. Dang things are rooting up my yard. You would think 4 Jack Russell Terriers would take care of the problem wouldn't you? No! They are too busy chasing squirrels & swamp rabbits.

[shaggy eel]

,,, that's the weight - how long and wide, approximately? I've only seen them on video clips etc and there's been nothing close to them like a car or person that gives an idea of scale.