from my high school listserve- I didn't actually graduate from La Porte High School because my parents took off for Arizona over Thanksgiving break in 1967- so I walked the walk at Tucson High in Arizona, but I'm a Texan all the way through-

some little known Texas facts:

El Paso is as close California as it is 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.

forgive me, please- I couldn't help myself-