If you thought you knew everything there was to know about Texas, you may want to read over these uncommonly known facts – they just might surprise you. Everyone needs a little Texas trivia to spice up their day, right?
- The 1900 Galveston hurricane is the deadliest natural disaster in recorded U.S. history.
Boston Public Library/Flickr
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, was born in Denison, Texas.
Boston Public Library/Flickr
- Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of the U.S., is also from Texas.
Joe Mud/Flickr
- Between Austin and San Antonio on a stretch of a toll road, you can go 85 mph, which is the highest speed limit in the country. I guess everything is faster in Texas, too.
formulanone/Flickr
- “Six flags over Texas” is the slogan used to describe the six nations that have had sovereignty over Texas at some point or another: Spain, France, the Confederate States of America, the USA, the Republic of Texas, and Mexico. It’s also the inspiration behind the amusement park, Six Flags.
Leslie/Flickr
- There’s a city called Happy, Texas, named after a stream cowboys in the 19th century called “Happy Draw” because they were happy to find water there.
Charles Henry/Flickr
- Texas is both the second largest and second most populous state in the U.S.
Stuart Rankin/Flickr
- Texas is home to the world’s largest parking lot at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. See, everything really IS bigger in Texas.
Alex/Flickr
- The Texas State Capitol is the largest in the nation in terms of gross square footage.
Stuart Seeger/Flickr
- The Texas Star ferris wheel at the Dallas State Fair is the largest ferris wheel in the Western Hemisphere. (Do you need any more proof that everything’s bigger in Texas?)
2nd2Nunn Photography/Flickr
- The highest temperature ever recorded in Texas was 120 degrees in the town of Seymour on August 12, 1936.
Leo Reynolds/Flickr
- Texas still owns all of its public lands. The federal government must first ask the state’s permission if it wants to cut down trees or create a park. Yeah, Texas rules!
Jims_photos/Flickr
- Texas experiences the most tornadoes per year in the country, with a yearly average of 139.
Jmos/Flickr
- The city of El Paso is closer to Needles, California (516 miles) than it is to Dallas, Texas (571 miles).
Hadley Paul Garland/Flickr
- 70% of the population of Texas lives within 200 miles of Austin.
Jims_photos/Flickr
- The Flagship Hotel in Galveston, sadly destroyed in Hurricane Ike in 2008, was the only hotel ever built entirely over water in the U.S.
Kate Skegg/Flickr
What weird, shocking, or just uncommon facts about Texas would you add to the list?
Boston Public Library/Flickr
Joe Mud/Flickr
formulanone/Flickr
Leslie/Flickr
Charles Henry/Flickr
Stuart Rankin/Flickr
Alex/Flickr
Stuart Seeger/Flickr
2nd2Nunn Photography/Flickr
Leo Reynolds/Flickr
Jims_photos/Flickr
Jmos/Flickr
Hadley Paul Garland/Flickr
Kate Skegg/Flickr
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
