Texas trivia

[GMAN]

TEXAS TRIVIA





Nobody asked for them, but here are some little known Texas facts:





Beaumont to El Paso : 742 miles



Beaumont to Chicago : 770 miles



El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas



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 in 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 .."



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 at 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 Spanish for Texas .



The State animal is the Armadillo. (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!)



The first domed stadium in the U.S. was the Astrodome in Houston .





THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - TEXAS STYLE



People here in Texas have trouble with all those shalls and shall nots in the Ten Commandments. Folks here just aren't used to talking in those terms. So, some folks out in west Texas got together and translated the "King James" version into "King Ranch" version: Ten Commandments, cowboy style. Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie, Texas.



(1) Just one God.

(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.

(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.

(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.

(5) Put nothin' before God.

(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.

(7) No killin'.

(8) Watch yer mouth.

(9) Don't take what ain't yers.

(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.





That's kinda plain 'n simple don't ya think?



Y'all have A NICE Day NOW, Ya Hear?



May God litter your life with blessings!

[ronjon619]

I can't wait for all the Texas is God's country posts........

[GMAN]

Texas is GOD's country.

[1catfish]

Texas is GOD's country.

i grew up in houston,but born in colorado city in the dust bowl. i like the post but couldn't stand living in houston anymore, me and my family went to visit grandma during christmas,and things have changed so much i was glad to get back to north carolina. maybe out in country would be better, but as far as in the city no thank you.

[Orangetxguy]

Texas is GOD's country.

I'm sorry to have to tell you this....REALLY....I am!


But......... MONTANA is "God's Country". Texas is just where God rested, after forging out "The Big Sky Country"!!

Why....the best water in the Gulf of Mexico, start's it's journey to the Gulf, from the hills above Wisdom Montana!!

[Rev.Vassago]

Wait - I was always told that Wisconsin is God's country. I think we need to have a battle royale to figure out who wins.

[GMAN]

i grew up in houston,but born in colorado city in the dust bowl. i like the post but couldn't stand living in houston anymore, me and my family went to visit grandma during christmas,and things have changed so much i was glad to get back to north carolina. maybe out in country would be better, but as far as in the city no thank you.

Houston is a much different city than it was 30 years ago. I don't think that I could live there either. Way too much traffic and the humidity and heat can really get to you in the summer. Texas is much nicer when you get away from the larger cities. There is some beautiful country in the state. Of course, that is their slogan. "Texas is a whole other country."

[GMAN]

I'm sorry to have to tell you this....REALLY....I am!


But......... MONTANA is "God's Country". Texas is just where God rested, after forging out "The Big Sky Country"!!

Wait - I was always told that Wisconsin is God's country. I think we need to have a battle royale to figure out who wins.

I hate to inform you but you are both wrong. Perhaps we need to take a poll.

[Jackrabbit379]

It's a long drive from Los Angeles to Houston. I've done it. It's a very long drive from El Paso to Houston.

[Syncrosonix]

It's a long drive from Los Angeles to Houston. I've done it. It's a very long drive from El Paso to Houston.

an extremely long, boring drive with nothing to look at until boerne, or however it's spelled. i dreaded the drive between san antonio and el paso.

[golfhobo]

From the Texan 10 Commandments:

(3) No telling tales . ....

Well.... I guess that means all Texans are goin' to Hell!

[golfhobo]

Wait - I was always told that Wisconsin is God's country. I think we need to have a battle royale to figure out who wins.

Nope. Wisconsin is CHEESE country!

[golfhobo]

Texas is much nicer when you get away from the larger cities. There is some beautiful country in the state.

Not really! Sorry, but most of it is as FLAT as my ex-girlfriend and twice as barren!

The sagebrushed Western part of Texas is just boring. Hardly even a hill or mountain to break the monotony. The "grassy" East is just flat and speckled with only a few trees. Even the green grass of the Oklahoma panhandle STOPS at the border of Texas!

Only Texans would make a mountain out of the mole-HILL country.

Sure, the coastline is pretty.... when not covered in oil.... but there's no WAVE action! A coastline of a big LAKE (the Gulf) as opposed to the open ocean!

Maybe I missed something in all these years.... but, I can't recall ever seeing acres of "amber waving grain," nor purple mountain majesty. nor fruited plains. And for the most part.... even the SKY seems to be boring itself to sleep.

I can't say exactly where God's Country IS.... it's a tough call between Colorado, Montana and the Pacific Northwest.... but, I'm pretty sure Texas was created on one of his "down" days! No inspiration... no miracles... no desire to impress.

Even the American Indians steered clear of it for the most part.... settling instead in the lands of New Mexico/Arizona... or Oklahoma.... the Dakotas... and even the Southeast. Others, of course, preferred the Northeast, the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and the Northwest. Note: American Indians are renowned for their love and appreciation for the LAND.

The state name derives from a Caddo word, tayshas, meaning friends or allies, and was mistakenly applied to the people and their location by Spanish explorers.

The SPANISH form of the word was TEJAS.

The Caddo indians mostly inhabited western Oklahoma and Louisiana because they were "semi-sedimentary" That means they cultivated and lived off the land. For that.... they needed fertile soil... something found ONLY near the borders of Oklahoma and Louisianna.

The rest of the state is a wasteland.

Interesting fact for truckers: It is 822 miles from the border near Shreveport on I-20 to the border just west of El Paso. You can travel ALL day and never get OUT of that state! (under HOS rules.)

Texans are know for their "grit." I'll give them THAT! Because it TAKES alot of grit to live in the ugliest part of America and STILL have the bravado to claim "superiority." They never learned "humility."

We are "in" Texas for the same reason we are "in" Iraq.... OIL! (and for geographical expedience.) Our military trains in Texas for deployment to the deserts of Iraq! Does THAT tell you something?

Okay GMAN.... Y'all can FIRE BACK now! I'm through trashing Tejas!

[golfhobo]

Texas is the only state to enter the U.S. by TREATY, instead of by annexation.

(This allows the Texas flag to fly at the same height as the US flag.)

NOT according to snopes.

snopes.com: High Flier

Sit DOWN, Young'un.... and quit spouting off everything you read on the internet.

[Rev.Vassago]

Thank you for lumping all four of your responses together, golfhobo. It makes it easier for me to ignore them.

[GMAN]

Texans are know for their "grit." I'll give them THAT! Because it TAKES alot of grit to live in the ugliest part of America and STILL have the bravado to claim "superiority." They never learned "humility."

We are "in" Texas for the same reason we are "in" Iraq.... OIL! (and for geographical expedience.) Our military trains in Texas for deployment to the deserts of Iraq! Does THAT tell you something?

Okay GMAN.... Y'all can FIRE BACK now! I'm through trashing Tejas!

Texans take pride in their state. They sacrificed much to be free from tyranny. Just so you know, Texas is actually pretty fertile. They grow a lot of produce in the valley. By the way, that is in south Texas. Texas is one of the few states that can pretty much be self sufficient. They grow their own food, raise their own meat and drill their own oil. They also have their own military to defend themselves. In reality, the U.S. would sorely miss Texas should they actually decide to secede.

[golfhobo]

Thank you for lumping all four of your responses together, golfhobo. It makes it easier for me to ignore them.

That would have been more difficult for me thanks to the current software. But, I noticed that I CAN now quote and paste a single statement from a post. I thank IBADMIN for that. See... it WASN'T AOL software.... it was the SITE!

As for making YOUR job easier? Not really concerned. YOU took the job. Deal with it. By your OWN testimony, I am not one that you have to "watch" all the time. I push the envelope (according to you) but don't cross the lines. The only one that caused that problem is no longer here, so you don't REALLY have to "watch me" so closely. YOUR choice.

[Rev.Vassago]

I didn't say it was for moderating purposes that I was ignoring your posts.

[golfhobo]

GMAN said:

Texans take pride in their state.

AS THEY SHOULD! But, so do ALL Americans in any state!

They sacrificed much to be free from tyranny.

Really? MORESO than the Colonialists did to win America's freedom from Britain? .... WITHOUT the help of Texans? In actuality, Texans would have LOST their fight for freedom without the help of other Americans.

Just so you know, Texas is actually pretty fertile. They grow a lot of produce in the valley. By the way, that is in south Texas.

Well.... I've yet to make it to the McAllen area. I'm quite sure that, with the help of American funding for irrigation, they've made a garden down there. But.... that is NOT representative of West Texas. I lived for 4-5 years in Texas [ IN the fertile part ] and spent a few more months in training in different places. I know SAND when I see it!

Texas is one of the few states that can pretty much be self sufficient.

More propaganda. No WONDER you like Palin so much. She says the same about Alaska! Any state, under the economies of 100 years ago could be self-sufficient. But, without a MARKET for your oil or your beef, you'd DROWN in the excess!

They grow their own food, raise their own meat and drill their own oil.

Same as above. And please CHECK the state of registration on MOST oil companies in Texas. Where do you think the investment money came from to DRILL that oil? Even YOU must agree that the original Texans were poor by contrast. I'm quite SURE that they didn't find and exploit that oil on their own!

They also have their own military to defend themselves.

They have nothing MORE than a "National Guard" like ALL OTHER states! They couldn't even defend their OWN territory without help from other states during their fight for "independence." There's not a STATE in this "UNION" that could defend itself against an invasion by a COUNTRY like Mexico or Canada.... or even a few states combined.... without HELP from the U.S. Military! THAT was one of the foremost reasons for the foundation of our FEDERAL GOVERNMENT..... that you so DESPISE!

In reality, the U.S. would sorely miss Texas should they actually decide to secede.

You don't GET IT, do you? You CAN'T "secede." A few Southern states tried that once, and they were beaten! YOU Texans "cast your lots" along time ago with America, and now.... like all of us... you are OWNED by it! We've invested TOO much into your infrastructure. We NEED the roadways that cross your barren state to effect interstate commerce with the West. We even get SOME of our oil from you. We don't REALLY "need" your Gulf water ports, we have OTHERS. But, we cannot allow such an expansive border with Mexico.... especially one accessible by SEA!

I wasn't around when we "purchased" Louisianna, or "entreated" with Mexico and the Republic of Texas to make them part of America. But, I'm quite sure that there were geographical concerns that ruled the decisions made. We did the same with Russia and Spain to get the REST of our country.... including Alaska! I believe they were smart decisions. We NOW have a country that is bordered on THREE parts MOSTLY by water, upon which we RULE (as Britain once did)

It should be evident by the fact that we invaded Europe by SEA, that such a "frontier" is the hardest to defend. We now control EVERY border with the SEA. And with the "purchase" or whatever of Alaska... we put at least the Bering Sea between us and Russia.

The expansion of our country, for the protection of its citizens, necessarily demanded an expansion of government AND the expense to maintain that security. I doubt that ANY of us would begrudge the cost of the greatest military in the World.... as long as it is DEFENSIVE and not "Imperialistic."

I believe it was COMMERCE and the treaties engaged in for that purpose that bogged us down. And WHO lobbies our Congress for such commercial protections and advantages? The OWNERS of those "big" businesses! Which brings us back to the REPUBLICAN party.... and their REAL "agenda." Which is the Class warfare we left England to defy!

[golfhobo]

I didn't say it was for moderating purposes that I was ignoring your posts.

Well... SOUNDS like a true point. But then.... if you were ignoring them... why did you read them and respond?

Okay... dont' SAY it! I KNOW you didn't have to READ them in order to respond!

YOUR loss! Have a nice day, Rev!