Texas facts and trivia.

At 268,957 square miles Texas is second in size to Alaska and second to California in population at 26.96 million. (Est. 2015)

Rockwall County, east of Dallas, is the smallest county at 149 square miles with a population of 87,809. (Est. 2014.)

Loving County, in West Texas, is the smallest county by population. 112 people are scattered over 677 square miles. The county seat of Mentone is the only incorporated town.

Harris County (Houston) is the most populated county with 4,538,28 (Est.2014) sharing 1,777 square miles.

From March to the end of November Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in the world. During those months an estimated 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats make the Congress Ave. Bridge their home. Most of them are female, where they birth and raise their young. The males tend to gather in smaller groups. Many residents put up Bat Houses to attract them, as they aid in mosquito control. Purple Martin houses are popular for the same reason.

Texas is the only state that entered the union by treaty.

State flower: Bluebonnet.

State tree: Pecan.

State bird: Mockingbird.

State mammal (small): Armadillo.

State mammal (large): Longhorn.

State fruit: Texas red grapefruit.

Texas is home to the oldest surviving Dreadnought-class battleship in the world, the USS Texas, and the oldest surviving aircraft carrier, the USS Lexington.

The Panhandle town of Dalhart is closer to the capital cities of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska than it is to Austin.

You know Bugman, the more I hear about Texas from you, the more I think I'd feel at home there You're doing a terrific job with these posts, please keep them coming!

I expect Texas to surpass California in population during this century, unless there is a dramatic and unexpected change in the tax laws in California.

Tenebrae said:

You know Bugman, the more I hear about Texas from you, the more I think I'd feel at home there You're doing a terrific job with these posts, please keep them coming!

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Thanks Tenebrae, glad you enjoy it. I'm sure you would fit right in here.

milagros317 said:

I expect Texas to surpass California in population during this century, unless there is a dramatic and unexpected change in the tax laws in California.

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I recall reading a study several years ago that predicted that. Can't remember the source though.

To continue an earlier post..

State insect: Monarch Butterfly.

State reptile: Texas horned lizard.

State bread: Pan de Campo.

State soil: Houston Black. Don't ask me, I had no idea.

In the early 20th century that most iconic symbol of Texas, the Alamo, was slated to be converted to a hotel. Its salvation was due to the efforts of Clara Driscoll and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

And the famous façade of the chapel, where the last of the fighting took place? It wasn't there in 1836. It was added in the 1850's when the US Army was using the building as a munitions depot.

Bugman said:

I recall reading a study several years ago that predicted that. Can't remember the source though.

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I didn't read that study but I base it on my annual visits to California and contact with people who live there. The tax policies are making it less possible every year to be a middle class person in California. To survive there, you be either quite wealthy or on welfare.

milagros317 said:

I didn't read that study but I base it on my annual visits to California and contact with people who live there. The tax policies are making it less possible every year to be a middle class person in California. To survive there, you be either quite wealthy or on welfare.

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Yep, people from California have been moving here for years. We have a ton of them in the Austin area. I remember talking to a few back in the 90's and they were amazed at how much house $250,000 could buy. Not to mention lower property taxes and no state income tax.

Opened in 1974, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) now sprawls over 29.8 square miles, making it the second largest airport in the states by acreage. Only Denver's airport is larger. There are 165 gates in five terminals with a sixth scheduled to open in 2021. Skylink, an automated tram system, whisks passengers between the terminals without leaving the secured areas.

These statistics are from 2015, the latest I could find.

Daily passengers: 174,291.

Total passengers. 63,616,291.

International passengers: 7,436,774.

Cargo handled, in US tons: 732,568.

10 domestic and 15 foreign airlines fly to 213 destinations. No major US city is more than four hours away.

Payroll: 12.5 billion dollars.

The Driskill Hotel opened December 20 1886 at 6th and Brazos in downtown Austin. Plagued by financial problems and frequent ownership changes in the early years, by 1930 things had stabilized enough for a 15 story annex to open. Today rooms in the original building are the most sought after, and during high school prom season young men and women in formal wear emerge from limousines to dance the night away.

Some have said the Driskill is one of the most most haunted hotels in the U.S.

Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio is the oldest active military base in Texas and one of the oldest active U.S. Army forts west of the Mississippi.

The Quadrangle is the oldest building on the fort. After the great Apache chief Geronimo and his warriors surrendered they were held here while their fate was decided. They refused to live inside so tents were erected in the enclosed courtyard. Folklore holds they refused government rations so some Whitetail deer were brought in for them to "hunt". The truth is nobody knows when or how they ended up there. Whatever the truth, their decedents still roam the courtyard, alongside peacocks and occasionally some ducks and geese.

Many famous Army officers have served at Fort Sam. John J. "Blackjack" Pershing was appointed Commanding Officer in 1917. Dwight Eisenhower, General Walter Kruger, (Commanding Officer, 6th Army during WWII) and Col. Billy Mitchell passed through the fort. Teddy Roosevelt was a frequent visitor and recruited some of his Rough Riders in the bar of the Menger Hotel.

In 1910 Lt. Benjamin Foulois brought the army's first airplane to the fort. He learned to fly by corresponding with the Wright brothers and is considered to be the "Father of Army Aviation". His plane can be seen at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

As I have said many time after getting out of the USAF if I ever see Texas again it will be too soon.