The Moody Gardens in Galveston feature three pyramid-shaped buildings housing a rainforest, an aquarium, and a discovery center for kids to explore.
Texas (U.S. State)
Don't want random?
Search name of person, animal, place, thing, etc.
Share
Facts About Texas (U.S. State)
The first Thanksgiving celebration in what would become the United States took place in Texas in 1598, 23 years before the Pilgrims’ feast in Plymouth.
The Houston Astrodome, opened in 1965, was the world’s first domed sports stadium and was called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”
Texas barbecue is famous worldwide, with different styles across the state — East Texas uses a sweet sauce, Central Texas focuses on dry rubs, and South Texas adds Mexican flavors.
The word “Howdy” is a traditional Texas greeting that evolved from “How do you do?” and is the official greeting at Texas A&M University.
The Texas longhorn cattle breed was developed from Spanish cattle brought to the Americas in the 1500s and can have horns that span up to 7 feet (2.13 meters) tip to tip.
Before air conditioning was invented, some Texas schools and businesses would close during extremely hot weather, which they called “heat holidays.”
Texas has towns with unusual names like Cut and Shoot, Dime Box, Ding Dong, Nameless, and Jot ‘Em Down.
The Texas Folklore Society collects and preserves Texas legends, including stories about the chupacabra, haunted hotels, and lost Spanish gold.
The oldest known tree in Texas is an ancient bald cypress growing in Real County, estimated to be over 600 years old.
The first word spoken from the moon was “Houston,” when astronaut Neil Armstrong said, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
The world’s largest bat colony is located at Bracken Cave near San Antonio, where about 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats live during summer months.
The official state snack of Texas is chips and salsa, recognized by the Texas Legislature in 2003.
Texas has two time zones — most of the state is in the Central Time Zone, but El Paso and part of West Texas are in the Mountain Time Zone.
The Texas state fair’s mascot, Big Tex, wears a 95-gallon hat and size 96 boots — that’s like wearing a child’s swimming pool on your head!
Texas has its own power grid separate from the rest of the United States, allowing it to generate and distribute electricity independently.
The word “Texas” comes from the Caddo Native American word “taysha,” meaning “friends” or “allies.”
The deadliest tornado in Texas history hit Waco on May 11, 1953. It was a powerful storm that destroyed more than 600 buildings and sadly took 114 lives.
Amarillo, Texas, is home to the “72-ounce steak challenge,” where if you can eat an entire 4.5-pound steak and all the sides in one hour, it’s free!
Laredo, Texas, hosts the largest Washington’s Birthday Celebration in the United States, a month-long festival with more than 400,000 attendees.
The annual Texas Sandfest in Port Aransas is the largest native-sand sculpture competition in the United States.
The world’s largest cowboy boots sculpture stands 40 feet (12 meters) tall outside North Star Mall in San Antonio.
