Texas Symbols

1. Bird : Mockingbird

2. Insect : Monarch Butterfly

3. Reptile : Horned Lizard

4. Flower : Bluebonnet

5. Gem : Texas Blue Topaz

6. Tree : Pecan

Texas Capital

Austin

About Austin Texas :

Austin is the capital of Texas. It is also known as the "live music capital of the world".

Other labels assigned to Austin in recent years include "the third best place to live in the US", "the second fastest growing city in the US", "the most restaurants and bars than any other city in the US", and more.

Austin used to be a small laid-back city in Texas. Austin now has 950 high-tech companies, employing about 110,000 people. More than 400 of these companies are involved in software development. This is why Austin is also known as "Silicon Hills". Some of the large high-tech companies in Austin include 3M, AMD, Dell, IBM, Motorola, etc.

Population :

In the 1990 census, the City of Austin had a population of 465,622 (61.7% White, 23% Hispanic, 11.9% Black, and 3.4% Asian and other). It has grown to 633,000. The population of the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which consists of Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop, and Caldwell counties, is currently 1,127,000.

Education :

Austin is the most highly educated city in the US, with 35% of adults having 16 or more years of schooling.
The Independent School Districts in the Austin area are: Austin, Bastrop, Del Valle, Dripping Springs, Eanes, Elgin, Florence, Georgetown, Hays, Hutto, Jarrell, Lago Vista, Lake Travis, Leander, Liberty Hill, Manor, McDade, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Smithville, Taylor, San Marcos, and Wimberley.

Climate :

The climate of Austin is humid subtropical with hot summers and relatively mild winters. Sub-freezing temperatures occur on average about 25 days each year. Daytime temperatures in summer are hot, with highs over 90°F about 80% or more of the time. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year with heaviest amounts occurring in May and September. Average yearly rainfall is near 32 inches. Austin averages 300 days of sunshine each year. It rarely snows in Austin

Recreation :

Austin is well-known for outdoor activities. Some of the activities available are:

• Boating: There are enough lakes in the area for canoeing, motor-boating, and sailing.
• Hike-and-Bike Trails: Barton Creek Greenbelt, Town Lake Greenbelt, Waller Creek Walkway.
• Camping: There are numerous state parks in the area, e.g. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.
• Golf: Austin boasts several great courses.
• Horseback Riding: Afterall, this is Texas!

History of Texas

Timeline

(1519) Alonso Alvarez de Pineda, a Spanish explorer, mapped the Texas coastline



(1528) Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and crew were shipwrecked near Galveston and began exploration



(1682) The first Spanish mission, Corpus Christi de la Isleta, established near present-day El Paso



(1685) The French explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, landed in Texas by mistake while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River. He established the colony, Fort St. Louis, in present-day Victoria County



(1687) La Salle killed by his own men



(1688) Colonists killed by the Karankawa Indians



(1718) The San Antonio de Valero mission, (the Alamo) founded in San Antonio



(1731) The civilian settlement, San Fernando de Bexar, established by a group of Canary Islanders



(1766) The first recorded hurricane in Texas struck near Galveston



(1829) Several groups of Irish immigrants arrived in South Texas



(1830)The Mexican government passed a law stopping legal immigration into Texas from the United States except in special cases



(1832) The first bloodshed of the Texas Revolution took place at Velasco



(1835) The Texas Rangers organization officially established by the provisional government



(1836) The Texas Declaration of Independence adopted; a 13-day siege of the Alamo by Mexican troops led by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna ended with all the remaining defenders killed; about 350 Texas prisoners, including Commander James Fannin, were executed at Goliad; an 18 minute battle led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexican army at San Jacinto; treaties were signed ending the Texas Revolution; the first leaders of the new republic were elected: Sam Houston as president and Lorenzo de Zavala, vice president; the first congress of the Republic of Texas convened



(1837) The Republic of Texas officially recognized by the United States



(1845) The U. S. Congress passed a "Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States"; Texas became the 28th state.



(1846) The Battle of Palo Alto, the first major battle of the two-year Mexican War, took place near Brownsville



(1848) The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed ending the War with Mexico in 1850. Texas gave up its claim to land that included more than half of what is now New Mexico, about a third of Colorado, a corner of Oklahoma and a small portion of Wyoming



(1861) Texas seceded from the Union; Sam Houston resigned as governor in protest



(1865) The Battle of Palmito Ranch fought near Brownsville after the official end of the Civil War, as word had not yet reached Texas that the war was over; General Granger traveled to Galveston to announce that slavery had been abolished



(1865) A proclamation of peace between the United States and Texas was issued



(1869 A new Texas State constitution adopted



(1871) Seven men in a wagon train were massacred at Salt Creek, about 20 miles west of Jacksboro, by Kiowas and Comanches led by chiefs Satanta, Big Tree, Satank and Eagle Heart



(1884) Fence-cutting problems caused the Texas Legislature to pass a law making fence-cutting a felony



(1886) A hurricane damaged or destroyed every house in the port of Indianola, which was never rebuilt



(1888) State capitol in Austin dedicated



(1894) Oil discovered at Corsicana by workers drilling for fresh water



(1900) The "Great Storm," (hurricane) the greatest natural disaster in human terms ever to strike North America, destroyed much of Galveston and killed over 6,000 people



(1910) The first military air flight in a Wright brothers' plane took place in San Antonio



(1918) Texas women won the right to vote in elections



(1925) Miriam "Ma" Ferguson became Texas' first woman governor, she served as a figurehead for her husband, former Gov. James E. Ferguson who was impeached



(1928) Democratic National Convention held in Houston



(1936) The Texas Centennial Exposition opened at Dallas' Fair Park



(1937) A natural gas leak beneath the London Consolitated School in Rusk County caused a massive explosion An estimated 296 students and teachers were killed



(1943) A race riot in Beaumont led to a declaration of martial law



(1947) A French-owned ship carrying ammonium nitrate exploded in the Texas City Harbor followed by another explosion the next morning - the SS High Flyer; 600 people were killed and over 4,000 injured. The force of the explosions created a 15-foot tidal wave



(1948) Lyndon B. Johnson elected U. S. Senator



(1953) Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first Texas-born President of the United States



(1962) NASA opened the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston



(1963) President John Kennedy assassinated in Dallas



(1965) San Antonio native, Ed White, became the first American to walk in space



(1966) Barbara Jordan of Houston becames the first black woman elected to the Texas Senate; Charles Whitman killed 17 people at the University of Texas campus in Austin, shooting them from the observation deck of the main-building tower



(1969) Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong transmitted the first words from the surface of the moon: "Houston, the Eagle has landed"



(1971) The NASA Houston/Clear Lake facility is renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center



(1984) Republican Nat. Convention held in Dallas



(1988) Houstonian George Bush elected president of the United States



(1993) Federal agents stormed the compound called Mount Carmel near Waco, where cult leader David Koresh and his followers, called Branch Davidians, had reportedly been storing a large cache of assault weapons. The assault and ensuing fire killed four agents and 86 Branch Davidians; Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison became the first woman to serve as U.S. Senator from Texas



(2000) Former Texas Gov. George W. Bush elected President of the United States



(2001) Enron filed for bankruptcy protection



(2003) Space shuttle Columbia broke apart across southeastern Texas as it descended toward its planned landing, all crew members were lost



(2004) George W. Bush re-elected U. S. President

Top 10 Interesting places

1. Port Aransas

Located along the Gulf of Mexico in south Texas along the Aransas Pass is Port Aransas. Port Aransas, located on Mustang Island, is home to many condos which lead right to the beach.

2. The Alamo

The Alamo is the ruins of the Battle of the Alamo, the most famous battle of the Texas Revolution. It is now a museum with lined with beautiful landscape. You can walk through and look at all the wonderful artifacts and things people have discovered from the ruins.

3. Austin

Austin the located in south Texas. It is also the capitol of Texas. In the city is many different attractions, one including the University of Texas. Another attraction many people enjoy is the Capitol Building. If you want a great history lesson, go to the capitol, it is very enjoying!

4. The Riverwalk 

Running through the city is a long river. It has earned the names riverwalk because there are sidewalks along the river which you can walk along the river. You can also ride visitor boats down the river, which is very fun. Along the river is lined with trees, stores, and even a mall! When in San Antonio, this is a definite must see.

5. Highland Park 

Highland Park is located in north Dallas. The city of Highland Park has a rich history in the Dallas. It is easily one of the most beautiful cities in all of the Lone Star State. Many of the homes in Highland Park are very fancy and exquisite, just adding the more fun of seeing all the luxurious houses

6. NASA Space Center

After playing an important role in the Space Race of the 1960s, Space Center Houston has become a popular tourist attraction. Even today, when it remains crucial to the NASA Space Program, Space Center Houston is better known as an entertaining and educational attraction that draws thousands of visitors annually.

7. Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park covers a vast area in Southwestern Texas. It includes mountains, desert, and rivers. In just a short distance one can travel from the banks of the Rio Grande River to Emory Peak with an elevation of 7825 feet. Camping and hiking are very popular at Big Bend. Single or multi-day float trips are available on the Rio Grande, and the scenery through some of the canyons is absolutely stunning.

8. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Sometimes called the "Grand Canyon of Texas," Palo Duro Canyon is a "must see" for any visitor to Texas. The canyon is 120 miles long, and in some areas 20 miles wide, and reaches depths of 800 feet. The park offers on-site horse rentals, cabin rentals, tent and RV sites, and plenty of trails for hiking and mountain bikes. The Texas Musical Drama plays inside the canyon. Enjoy a spectacular meal and show with the beautiful scenery of the canyon as the backdrop to the stage.

9.Padre Island

Padre Island is a long barrier island off the Texas coast. It stretches about 130 miles from Corpus Christi, in the north, down to the resort community of South Padre Island. The Padre Island National Seashore occupies the middle to northern part of the island. It is undeveloped, and offers many opportunities for wildlife viewing. Activities include beachcombing, boating, camping, fishing, hiking and off-road adventures. South Padre Island is a popular resort community located on the southern tip of the island. It offers a wide range of accommodations, beautiful white sandy beaches, and fun for the whole family.

10. Marble Falls

Marble Falls Town is located on Lake Marble Falls, and is just 45 minutes away from Austin by car. There are many activities in Marble falls like shopping, sight seeing, swimming, golf, hunting, fishing, boating and camping. The local people of Marble Falls are very friendly. The places to see in Marble Falls are Show Biz Cinema 8 (a multiplex with 8 screens) and Marble Falls Lakeside Park, which is a good place for a picnic.