Texas Trivia
I sometimes take it for granted that everyone knows the things about Texas that I do.
I am a native Texan and I have grown up all my life learning and hearing about all the things that make Texans proud. We spend entire school years teaching Texas history to our children. As much time is devoted to Texas history as there is to World History.
If you've never been to Texas, then I personally invite you to visit. There is something for everyone. Of course, you may have to drive a bit to see it all. We only have 70,000 miles of Texas highways. Bring your gas card and make sure your car air conditioner works well.
In the links below you'll find a link to my top 10 list of fun things to see in Texas.
Y'all come see us, ya hear?
Texas Fun Facts according to Caddylak Graffix:
- Population: 20.9 million
- Area: 261,914 square miles
- Highest Point: Guadeloupe Peak at 8,751 feet
- Lowest Point: Gulf of Mexico at sea level
- State Time Zone: Central Standard Time (Except far West Texas and it is Mountain Time!)
- State Capital: Austin
- Nickname: Lone Star State
- State Motto: Friendship (1930)
- State Sport: Rodeo (1997) The first rodeo in history took place in 1881 in Pecos, Texas
- State Song: Texas Our Texas (1929)
- State Bird: Mockingbird (1927)
- State Flower: Bluebonnet (1901)
- State Plant: Prickly Pear Cactus
- State Tree: Pecan (1919)
- State Insect: Monarch Butterfly (1995)
- State Dish: Chili (1977)
- State Large Mammal: Texas Longhorn (1995)
- State Small Mammal: Armadillo (1995)
- State Flying Mammal: Mexican Freetail Bat (1995)
- State Reptile: Horned Toad Lizard
- State Vegetable: Sweet Onion
- State Fruit: Red Grapefruit (1993)
- State Stone: Petrified Palmwood (1969)
- 28th state to enter the Union: December 29, 1845
- State Gem: Texas Blue Topaz (1969)
- State Fair: The largest State Fair is the Texas State Fair located in Big "D"
- Deepest Hole: The deepest hole ever made in the world is in Texas. It is as deep as 20 empire state buildings but only 3 inches wide.
- Tallest Statue: The world's tallest statue of an American hero, Sam Houston. The 67-ft. tall (plus 10-ft. base) statue is named "A Tribute to Courage." Sam Houston, celebrated political architect of Texas, towers in concrete above Interstate 45, with walking cane and snappy duds of a 19th century.
Fun Texas Trivia
- Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas in 1885. The only place in the world where they make Dr Pepper according to its original formula is in Dublin, Texas. There is no period after the ‘dr' in Dr Pepper.
- Austin writer John Morthland was the first person in America to interview the Rolling Stones when they came to American in 1964 on their maiden US tour. He was a high school junior in San Bernardino, California writing for his school's paper.
- Snicker's candy bars are made in Waco, Texas at the M&M Mars plant. This location makes 75% of the world's Snicker bars.
- Texas has the largest state capitol building of all the states. It is constructed of pink granite. It opened May 16, 1888. The dome of the building stands seven feet higher than that of the nation's Capitol in Washington, D.C.
- Will Rogers' father and uncle were boyhood friends of Sam Houston. Will Roger's aunt (half sister to his father) was Sam Houston's Indian wife.
- The DFW airport has the largest parking lot in the world.
- According to newspaper accounts, the first powered airplane was flown in Texas nearly forty years before the Wright Brothers version in 1903. Inventor-pilot Jacob Brodbeck powered the plane with coil springs and reached treetop heights before crashing into a henhouse killing several chickens and scaring many children in 1865
- Texas is the only state to have the flags of 6 different nations fly over it. They are: Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States, and the United States.
- More wool comes from the state of Texas than any other state in the United States. Edwards Plateau in west central Texas is the top sheep growing area in the country.
- Texas is the only state to enter the United States by treaty instead of territorial annexation.
- The state was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845.
- Texas boasts the nation's largest herd of whitetail deer.
- A coastal live oak located near Fulton is the oldest tree in the state. The tree has an estimated age of more than 1,500 years.
- Texas comes from the Indian word "tejas" meaning friends or allies.
- The worst natural disaster in United States history was caused by a hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900. Over 8000 deaths were recorded.
- Texas possesses three of the top ten most populous cities in the United States. These towns are Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
- El Paso is closer to Needles, California than it is to Dallas.
- Texas includes 267,339 square miles, or 7.4% of the nation's total area.
- More species of bats live in Texas than in any other part of the United States.
- Laredo is the world's largest inland port.
- The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is the world's largest rose garden. It contains 38,000 rose bushes representing 500 varieties of roses set in a 22-acre garden.
- The world's first rodeo was held in Pecos on July 4, 1883.
- The Flagship Hotel on Seawall Boulevard in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built entirely over the water.
- Native American Tribes: The Apache, Bidai, Coahuilteco, Carrizo, Caddo, Comanche, Jumano, Suma, Piro, Pueblos, Krankawa, Kiowa, Kitsai, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, and Wichita. Tribes moved into Texas after European arrived were the Alabama, Cherokee, Coushatta, Kickapoo and Tigua Pueblo.
Links and Resources
- Texas Firsts, Facts and Trivia - SHG Resources
Scan a listing of Texas Firsts, Facts and Trivia. Also includes links to biographies of famous people of Texas and other city and state resources. - Texas Fast Facts and Trivia
Texas fast facts and trivia in no particular order! Submitted by readers. - Legends of America - A Travel Site for the Nostalgic and Historic Minded
