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Facts about Texas that most people might not know. Feel free to share your knowledge.
Paris, TX was originally known as Pinhook, TX
Paris, TX was originally known as Pinhook, TX
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Good thread idea.Super B -
Sam Houston (1793-1863) was the first president and first governor of Texas. The Cherokee, with whom he lived in Tennessee, called him “the Raven.” Though one of the most famous Texans, he was actually born in Virginia and served as governor of Tennessee. A statue of Sam Houston called a “Tribute to Courage” is the world’s largest freestanding statute of an American.Super BComment
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The term “maverick” is derived from the name Samuel A. Maverick (1803-1870), an early Texas lawyer and pioneer.Comment
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The largest county in Texas is Brewster. It measures 6,193 square miles, which is roughly the size of Connecticut. Delaware could fit inside Brewster three times.Comment
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The word “Texas” was the Spanish pronunciation “Tejas” of the Hasinai Indian word meaning “allies” or “friends.” In fact, the Texas state motto is “friendship.” Ironically, many Native American tribes in Texas, including the Hasinai, were totally destroyed.Comment
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A $60 million treasure of gold plundered by Coronado is believed to be buried on an 80-acre pasture at the Sems Ranch near Clyde, Texas.
Note: Clyde is about 10 miles or so west of Abilene.Comment
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During its period as an independent country, Texas attempted to expand south and west into what was then Mexico. “There was a whole series of expeditions and counter-expeditions and skirmishes and battles,” said Bob Brinkman, coordinator of the historical markers program at the Texas Historical Commission, a state agency. Even after joining the United States, Texas held on to the idea that it would take a large chunk of the Territory of New Mexico. But as part of the Compromise of 1850, which maintained the balance of power between free and slave states, it relinquished claims to roughly 67 million acres in exchange for $10 million to pay off its debt.Comment
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- Texas has 254 counties. More than any other state.
- Harris county, at 4,441,370 has a higher population than 24 other states, DC, and all US territories.
- There are five 1,000,000+ population counties in Texas. Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar and Travis in that order. Their combined total area is 5,867.5 square miles. Together they are only bigger in total area than CT, DE, RI & DC & all US territories. Their combined population is 11,912,379. However together they are more populated than 45 other states, DC & all US territories.
To put it another way. If these five counties were somehow the 51st state, it would rank 47th among all states in land area, yet 6th in population.
The remainder of Texas, obviously would be larger, still retaining it's #2 ranking in total area behind only Alaska, and STILL be larger in population than this new 51st state, ranking 4th after dropping two spots, now behind CA, FL & NY.Super BComment
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Geography fascinates me.
All the numbers are below.
The largest county in Texas (area) is Brewster. The smallest is Rockwall.
Brewster is about 42 times the size in area as Rockwall.
However, Rockwall is larger in population than Brewster, and has a little more than 9 times as many people.
Furthermore, the five largest (area) counties, though combined is 156 times larger than Rockwall, still has less than half the population of Rockwall county.
Brewster County
Area: 6,193 mi²
County seat: Alpine
Population: 9,286 (2013)
Pecos County
Area: 4,764 mi²
County seat: Fort Stockton
Population: 15,697 (2013)
Hudspeth County
Area: 4,572 mi²
County seat: Sierra Blanca
Population: 3,318 (2013)
Presidio County
Area: 3,855 mi²
County seat: Marfa
Population: 7,201 (2013)
Culberson County
Area: 3,813 mi²
County seat: Fort Stockton
Population: 2,277 (2013)
Totals
Area: 23,197 mi²
Population: 37,779
Rockwall County
Area: 149 mi²
County seat: Rockwall
Population: 85,245 (2013)Super BComment
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More on Rockwall County (149 mi²).
There are seven cities in Texas that are larger (area) than Rockwall County. Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso & Corpus Christi.
In fact, in all, there are 54 US cities larger than Rockwall County. Not counting those ridiculous Alaskan "cities" which are 1-4.Super BComment
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As of the 2010 US census, Texas was the only state with three 1,000,000+ cities, in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. Just in the last few months, Califonia added their third when #10 San Jose rose above 1,000,000.
However, Austin is #11 and has grown 15% since the 2010 census and is currently at 912,000+. Austin will easily reach and exceed 1,000,000 in the next few years, then pass San Jose. Texas will then have four top 10 cities , all with 1,000,000+.
But wait, there's more.
San Francisco is currently at 852,000+ and 13th. Fort Worth is at 812,000+ and in 16th. However, Fort Worth has grown 10% to San Fransisco's 6% since the 2010 census. Fort Worth will overtake San Fransisco before either reach 1,000,000. Then Texas will have five 1,000,000 plus cities.Super BComment
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The Texas Rangers(not the baseball team) are the oldest law enforcement agency in North America with statewide jurisdiction.
Dr Pepper was created in 1885 by a Waco pharmacist.
The Texas Star Ferris wheel at Fair Park Dallas is the largest in the western hemisphere,
Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America. Over 1.5 million bats roost beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge over Lady Bird Lake and eat between 10,000- 30,000 lbs. of insects a night. The largest known bat colony in North America is also located in Texas in Bracken Cave. Over 20 million bats live in the cave, which is more bats than there are people living in Mumbai, India—one of the world's largest human cities
. And the capital dome in Austin is 7 feet higher than the dome on the U.S. capitol. Texas has the second tallest state capital building, after Louisiana.Comment
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Clyde Barrow is interred in a family plot in Dallas, Texas at the Western Heights Cemetery with his brother Marvin “Buck” Barrow, who was killed in a shootout with police in Platte City, Missouri in 1933 where the gang was hiding out. Bonnie Parker is buried in northwest Dallas at Crown Hill Memorial Park.Comment
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July 19, 1878 Allen, Tx. Sam Bass and his gang robbed the Union Pacific gold train from San Francisco, netting over $60,000, which is to this day the largest single robbery of the Union Pacific. He was wounded by Texas Rangers on the way to rob a small bank in Round Rock, and died two days later on his 27th birthday.
This was also the first train robbery in Texas. Right here little o' Allen.
There are many different versions of this story out there. I have always heard it as noted above but after looking into it, it seems the 60k in gold was stolen in Nebraska. None the less, he and his gang did rob a train in Allen, the first Texas train robbery, and he meet his maker in Round Rock.Last edited by some eagle fan; 05-31-2015, 09:18 AM.Comment
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The State grass of Texas?
Sideoats GramaComment
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Legend has it that Wyatt Earp first met Doc Holliday in a saloon at Fort Griffin just North of Albany, TX.Comment
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Just got tired of the same old negative quotes from the same old negative people. How long have they been talking about the same thing? They just can't let it go. I see that hasn't changed any since I've been gone. Probably won't be back till the season starts again. Maybe then the subject will change. If not, I have other things in my life to keep me busy.Comment
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