Called the Lone Star State because of the design of the state flag: a broad vertical blue stripe at left centered by a single white star, and at right, horizontal bars of white (top) and red.
The name Texas is a Spanish name, which comes from an Indian word meaning "friends". Texas is the second-largest state in the Union in area, after Alaska.
The Republic of Texas achieved its independence from Mexico in 1836, the same year as the famous siege of the Alamo in which pioneers Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett were slain. The 28th state to join the Union, admitted in 1845. Texas, like other parts of the arid Southwest, resisted easy settlement. The rugged characteristics of the frontier were retained in some parts of Texas as late as the 1960s.
The Capitol in Austin, built of Texas pink granite, opened May 16, 1888. The dome of the Capitol stands seven feet higher than that of the nation's Capitol in Washington, D.C.
With more than 267,000 square miles, Texas is as large as all of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois combined.
Texas has 254 counties. Rockwall County (147 square miles) is the smallest, and Brewster County (6,204 square miles) is the largest. Only one, Angelina County, is named for a woman.
Texas has four national forests (Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine and Sam Houston), two national parks (Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains), one national seashore (Padre Island), one national preserve (the Big Thicket), two national recreation areas (Amistad and Lake Meredith) and one national monument (Alibates Flint Quarries).
Websites for those traveling in Texas. Work or pleasure. Maps, Rest Areas, Weather, Traffic and Road conditions. Arts and Historical Commission.
State of Texas Travel Guide: http://www.traveltex.com
TX DOT: http://www.dot.state.tx.us/travel
The Texas scenic route top to bottom, U.S. Highway 281: http://www.ushwy281.org
Official Portal of Texas: http://www.texasonline.com/portal/tol/en/gov
Texas Parks and Wild Life: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
Texas Historical Commission: http://www.thc.state.tx.us
Texas Commission on the Arts: http://www.arts.state.tx.us
Points of Interest: Gulf Coast resort area, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, State capital in Austin, and the Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks, The Highland Lakes, the Hill Country, Wineries. All of US Highway 281, north to south. Enjoy and Ya'll come back..
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