 
Route 66 in Texas: It
has been called somewhat ironic that Texas, the largest U.S.
state in the contiguous forty-eight, contains the
second-fewest miles of Route 66 (Kansas having the least).
This is due to the fact that the highway passed only through
the state's northern extremity, known popularly as the
Panhandle. Route 66 in Texas was superseded by Interstate
Highway 40, running east-west through the Panhandle area.
The towns that Route 66 formerly passed through, and which
appear on most modern maps, include Shamrock, McLean,
Alanreed, Groom, Conway, Amarillo, Bushland, Wildorado,
Vega, Adrian, and Glenrio (straddling the Texas-New
Mexico border). More obscure communities, which may or
may not appear on modern maps, include Benonine (just
west of the Oklahoma border), Lela (at the highway
3075 junction), Jericho and Boydston (near the
highway 70 junction).
Texas is popularly known as The Lone Star State.
The Alamo is located in San Antonio. It is where Texas
defenders fell to Mexican General Santa Anna and the phrase
Remember the Alamo originated. The Alamo is considered the
cradle of Texas liberty and the state's most popular
historic site.
The lightning whelk is the official state shell.
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.
Although six flags have flown over Texas, there have been
eight changes of government: Spanish 1519-1685, French
1685-1690, Spanish 1690-1821, Mexican 1821-1836, Republic of
Texas 1836-1845, United States 1845-1861, Confederate States
1861-1865, United States 1865-present
The King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode
Island.
During the period of July 24-26, 1979, the Tropical Storm
Claudette brought 45 inches of rain to an area near Alvin,
Texas, contributing to more than $600 million in damages.
Claudette produced the United States 24 hour rainfall record
of 43 inches.
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 U.S.
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.
Sam Houston, arguably the most famous Texan, was actually
born in Virginia. Houston served as governor of Tennessee
before coming to Texas.
Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
The first offensive action of the Texas Revolution occurred
in Goliad on October 9, 1835 when local colonists captured
the fort and town.
On December 20, 1835 the first Declaration of Texas
Independence was signed in Goliad and the first flag of
Texas Independence was hoisted.
The Hertzberg Circus Museum in San Antonio contains one of
the largest assortments of circusana (circus artifacts) in the world.
The capital city of Austin is located on the Colorado River
in south-central Texas. The capitol building is made from
Texas pink granite. It served as the capital of the Republic
of Texas in 1840-1842.
Austin is considered the live music capital of the world.
Texas is home to Dell and Compaq computers and central Texas
is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of the south.
Professional sports teams include the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas
Mavericks, Dallas Stars, Houston Astros, Houston Comets,
Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Texas Rangers.
Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. The Dublin Dr
Pepper, 85 miles west of Waco, still uses pure imperial cane
sugar in its product. There is no period after the Dr in Dr
Pepper.
The first suspension bridge in the United States was the
Waco Bridge. Built in 1870 and still in use today as a
pedestrian crossing of the Brazos River.
In 1836 five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas:
Washington-on-the-Brazos: Harrisburg: Galveston: Velasco:
and Columbia. Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in
1837. In 1839 the capital was moved to the new town of
Austin.
The capitol in Austin opened May 16, 1888. The dome of the
building stands seven feet higher than that of the nation's
Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Texas comes from the Hasinai Indian word tejas meaning
friends or allies.
The armadillo is the official state mammal.
Texas has the first domed stadium in the country. The
structure was built in Houston and opened in April 1965.
The Houston Comets are the only team in the country to win
four back-to-back WNBA championships. 1997-2000 Cynthia
Cooper remains the only player to win the WNBA Championship
MVP.
The worst natural disaster in United States history was
caused by a hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900. Over 8000
deaths were recorded.
The first word spoken from the moon on July 20, 1969 was
Houston.
Texas' largest county is Brewster with 6,208 square miles.
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.
The state's cattle population is estimated to be near 16
million.
More land is farmed in Texas than in any other state.
More species of bats live in Texas than in any other part of
the United States.
Laredo is the world's largest inland port.
Port Lavaca has the world's longest fishing pier. Originally
part of the causeway connecting the two sides of Lavaca Bay,
the center span of was destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961.
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.
Amarillo has the world's largest helium well.
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.
The Heisman trophy is named for John William Heisman the
first full-time coach and athletic director at Rice
University in Houston.
Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other
comparable area in North America.
The Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North
America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
Jalapeno pepper jelly originated in Lake Jackson and was
first marketed in 1978.
 
28th state in the USA; it became a state on December
29, 1845.
State Abbreviation
- TX
State Capital - Austin
Largest City - Houston
Area - 268,601 square miles [Texas is the second
biggest state in the USA - only Alaska is bigger]
Population - 20,851,820 (as of 2000) [Texas is the
second most populous state in the USA, after California; New
York is the third most populous]
Name for Residents - Texans
Major Industries - petroleum and natural gas, farming
(cotton, livestock), steel, banking, insurance, tourism.
Presidential Birthplace - Dwight David Eisenhower was
born in Denison on October 14, 1890 (he was the 34th US
President, serving from 1953 to 1961). Also, Lyndon
Baines Johnson was born near Johnson City on August 27, 1908
(he was the 36th US President, serving from 1963 to 1969).
Major Rivers - Rio Grande, Red River, Brazos River
Highest Point - Guadalupe Peak, 8,749 feet (2,667 m)
above sea level
Bordering States - Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma
Bordering Country - Mexico
Bordering Body of Water - Gulf of Mexico
Origin of the Name Texas - The Caddo Indians of
eastern Texas called their group of tribes the "Tejas,"
meaning "those who are friends".
State Nickname - The Lone Star State
State Motto - Friendship
State Song - "Texas, Our Texas"
State Flag:
The official state flag of Texas, called the Lone Star Flag,
was adopted in 1845 when Texas became the 28th state of the
United States. The colors represent bravery (red), purity
(white), and loyalty (blue). The large white star was first
used on Texas flags in the 1830's during the battles between
Texas and Mexico.
State Bird:
Mockingbird
State Mammal (large):
Texas longhorn
State Mammal (small):
Armadillo
State Flying Mammal:
Free-tailed Bat
State Insect:
Monarch Butterfly
State Reptile:
Texas horned lizard
State Fish:
Guadalupe Bass
State Shell: Lightning Whelk
State Flower:
Bluebonnet
State Plant:
Prickly Pear Cactus
State Tree:
Pecan
State Grass:
Sideoats grama
State Shrub:
Chinese Crepe Myrtle
State Fruit:
Red Grapefruit
State Vegatable:
Sweet Onion
State Fiber:
Cotton
State Dinosaur:
Pleurocoelus
State Stone Petrified Palmwood
State Gem:
Texas Blue Topaz
  
Information From 50states.com and EnchantedLearning.com
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