"Keeweechic's Texas" a Texas Travel Page by keeweechic

You wont have to ask a Texan where he's from, he'll tell you.

Texas is BIG! Everything In Texas is big. The state stretches over 773 miles from east to west, and 801 miles from north to south with a total land and water area consisting of 261,914 sq mls of land and 5,363 sq mls of water equating to almost 7.5% of the total land area of the United States. It is as large as all of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and New England all put together. Texas is bordered by in the south by Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. To the North by Oklahoma and Arkansas, to the west by New Mexico and Mexico and, because of the odd shape of the State, the eastern side borders Oklahoma Arkansas and Louisiana.

Texas has quite a history of various nationalities finding and establishing their claim and then handing Texas back again. Prior to 1500 numerous tribes of the Indians of Texas occupied the region between the Rio Grande to the south and the Red River to the north. A Spanish adventurer, was the first known European to explore and map the Texas coastline in 1519 Others came within the next 60 years but left again. In 1685 Fort Louis was established by Robert Cavelier, Sieur de LaSalle at Matagorda Bay. This fort became the basis for France's claim to Texas. In 1689 a Mexican explorer, Alonso de Leon found Fort St. Louis abandoned and started to establish a Spanish presence in the state again therefore leading to all the Catholic missions which were established during the 18th century in Texas. In 1822 Stephen F Austin introduced the state to an initial group of new immigrants and most settled between what are now known as Austin and Houston. Immigrants from France, Slovak, Germany and Poland also arrived and settled, preferring to stay in their own communities, continuing with their customs and traditions which still in a way continues today. In 1837 Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston and then in 1839 the capital was moved again to the new town of Austin where it is still today.

"Other states were carved or born, Texas grew from hide and horn."
(Texas author - Berta Hart Nance )

The name Texas comes from the Spanish and Indian words, tejas and techas, "friends or allies." The term "The Lone Star State" is an apt name because of the state flag which contains one single star.

The Six Flags of Texas doesn't just mean the fun park, the name also refers to the six flags that have flown over Texas during eight changes of sovereignty:

Spanish 1519 - 1685, French 1685 -1690, Spanish 1690 -1821, Mexican 1821 - 1836, Republic of Texas 1836 - 1845, United States 1845 - 1861, Confederate States 1861 - 1865, United States 1865 to the present.

(Map from tourtexas.com)

This State is so big and in the 4 years I have been living here, I have only covered about one third of it. Hopefully I will get to see a couple of the other regions I have not yet seen before I finally leave the Big State.

More in my Travelogues

Photos which are taken by myself and all headings are copyright and digitally marked. Please do not use them without permission. Thanks.

(c) keeweechic 2001-2008 (copyright)