Friday, September 23, 2011

Texas Fixins': Visiting the Lone Star State For the First Time, I Find I Have a Lot to Learn


Texas, know as 'the Lone Star State' was admitted to the Union on December 29, 1845, the 28th state to do so. It is the second largest state both in size and population and one of very few states that I've never visited. My husband and I are in Dallas for the weekend and I'm going to try to absorb as much about Texas and Dallas in particular as I can. I'll be visiting the 6th Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza, the site of President Kennedy's Assassination in November, 1963.

Doing a little research, I discovered a few interesting facts...there are so more that will be detailed in future posts but I start with the Ten Commandments Texas style which I found pretty funny.

Ten Commandments, Cowboy Style
Cowboy's Ten Commandments posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in 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

Dallas the Tv show debuted in April 1978 on CBS as a five-part mini series and then ran for thirteen seasons until May 3, 1991.

El Paso is closer to California than to Dallas

Two United States President's were born in Texas: Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon B Johnson.

The last land battle of the Civil War was fought at Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, Texas May 12-13, 1865 (more than a month after Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia).

The world's first rodeo was in Pecos, Texas on July 4, 1883.

Dallas was probably named after George Mifflin Dallas, Polk's Vice President from 1845 - 1849.

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.

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.

Dallas city hall was designed by I. M. Pei, the same architect that designed the Pyramid at the Louvre.

The first word spoken from the moon, July 20, 1969, was "Houston."


King Ranch in South Texas is larger than Rhode Island.

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, Texas is estimated to be 1500 years old.

Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. There is no period after Dr in Dr Pepper.

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. Armadillos always have four babies! They have one egg, which splits into four, and they either have four males or four females.

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

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