Bluebonnet (plant)
On March 7, 1901, Lupinus subcarnosus became the only species of bluebonnet recognized as the state flower of Texas;[2] however, Lupinus texensis emerged as the favorite of most Texans. So, in 1971, the Texas Legislature made any similar species of Lupinus that could be found in Texas the state flower.[3][4]
Clematis drummondii
Clematis drummondii is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that is native to the Southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) and northern Mexico. Common names include old man's beard, Texas virgin's bower, and barba de chivato. It is a white-flowered vine that can be found clambering among other wildflowers, on shrubs and on fence rows. The natural habitat of "C. drummondii" includes the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts as well as prairies and grasslands. The sap of this plant is caustic, although its foliage, stems, and roots can be used for dye if caution is used while handling and if breathing the fumes is avoided. 1975 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
Royal retired the following season. Colorado went to the Orange Bowl that season, but lost. They did not win a bowl game until 1991. Texas returned to the Bluebonnet Bowl three times, and Colorado returned once. Porfirio Salinas
Salinas began painting professionally in 1930, when he was twenty years old. His early work was influenced by his mentor Robert Wood's paintings. He painted many scenes of Texas bluebonnets, the state flower, which were sold to tourists by the artists and galleries in San Antonio, Texas. In 1939 he began working with the art dealer Dewey Bradford (1896–1985), who sold paintings, frames and art supplies in the state capital of Austin. Porfirio Salinas
The professional career of Porfirio Salinas stretched to more than forty years. According to the art historian Jeffrey Morseburg, he is estimated to have painted between two and three thousand works. His work is divided among a number of subjects, but Hill Country landscapes of the Texas bluebonnets predominate. The bluebonnet landscape has remained eternally popular with both collectors of historic Texas paintings and contemporary artists. Salinas also painted many scenes of Texas red oak trees in the autumn and prickly pear cactus. There were also scenes of the Texas desert in the Texas Panhandle and of arid West Texas. Salinas made trips to Mexico and painted rural Mexican villages and the volcanoes that are south of Mexico City. For Mexican American audiences, Salinas painted small scenes of bullfights, cockfights and Mexican fandangos. Blueberry
Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with blue– or purple–colored berries. They are classified in the section Cyanococcus within the genus "Vaccinium." "Vaccinium" also includes cranberries, bilberries, and huckleberries. Commercial "blueberries" – including both wild ('lowbush') and cultivated ('highbush') blueberries – are all native to North America. The highbush blueberry varieties were introduced into Europe during the 1930s. List of Navy Midshipmen bowl games
The 1964 Cotton Bowl was played between the second-ranked Navy Midshipmen and the first-ranked Texas Longhorns. Navy was 9-1-0 and led by Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach. Texas was 10-0-0 and the AP national champion (the AP poll did not publish polls after the bowls at the time, so Texas was the season-ending AP #1 regardless of the outcome of the game). The game took place on January 1, 1964. Texas defeated Navy with a score of 28-6. The attendance was approximately 75,300. The game's MVP's were Texas' Scott Appleton and Duke Carlisle. Navy was coached by Wayne Hardin and Texas by Darrell Royal This was the first time the Cotton Bowl hosted both the #1 and #2 teams in the nation. It is just the second #1 vs #2 bowl game in college football history, the first being the 1963 Rose Bowl. Helianthus ciliaris
Helianthus ciliaris is a species of sunflower known by the common names Texas blueweed and yerba parda. Iris (plant)
An iris — species unspecified — is one of the state flowers of Tennessee. It is generally accepted that the species "Iris versicolor", the Purple Iris is the state flower alongside the wild-growing purple passionflower ("Passiflora incarnata"), the state's other floral emblem. Greeneville, Tennessee, is home to the annual Iris Festival celebrating the iris, local customs, and culture. The species "Iris versicolor" is also the provincial flower of Quebec, having replaced the Madonna lily which is not native to the province. and it is the official flower of Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity. Texas Longhorns football
Old Southwest Conference rivals, Texas and Arkansas first met in 1894, a 54–0 blowout by Texas. In the days of the Southwest Conference, the game between the two schools usually decided which team would win the conference championship. Overall, Texas won the game about 71% of the time, which led to an incredibly fierce and intense rivalry. The two programs have met 78 times, with Texas holding a decisive 56–22–0 advantage, and have had many big games. The meeting in 1969 is the true Game of the Century commemorating the 100th year of college football, which led to the Longhorns' 1969 national championship. This game still does not sit well with Razorback fans to this day. The game saw Arkansas lead throughout only to have Texas come from behind and win in the final minutes, 15–14. The game also saw former President Richard Nixon attend the game and crown the Longhorns the National Champion in the locker room. Although the 1969 Texas-Arkansas game is also commonly known as The Big Shootout, it has not been played annually since Arkansas's departure from the Southwest Conference to the Southeastern Conference in 1991. However, many Longhorn and Razorback fans still consider this matchup an important rivalry. Texas and Arkansas played in September 2008, with Texas winning, 52–10. Texas and Arkansas also played in the 2014 Texas Bowl, which was won by Arkansas, 31–7. Texas and Arkansas have a scheduled regular season meeting in the 2021 season. Texas Longhorns
A charter member of the Southwest Conference until its dissolution in 1996, the Texas Longhorns now compete in the Big 12 Conference, as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The school's colors are officially Orange (Pantone 159) and White, with Burnt Orange — also known as Texas Orange – being the specific shade of orange used. The University of Texas Longhorn Band performs the alma mater ("The Eyes of Texas") as well as the university fight song ("Texas Fight") at various sporting events. Bonnie C. Templeton
She proved a quick study, becoming Assistant Botanist at the California Botanic Garden in Los Angeles in 1928. In 1929, she was named Curator of Botany at the County Museum of Natural History. In 1932, while collecting plants in the El Segundo sand dunes, she discovered a possible new species, a rare parasitic plant she named "Pholisma paniculatum". Her designation of the plant as a new species proved controversial and has not been generally accepted. Later development of the dunes led to fears the plant had become extinct from destruction of its habitat. However, in the mid-1980s the area was restored as a preserve for the endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly , and a survey rediscovered the plant still on the dunes. In November 1938 she married Charles Steinhoff, a member of the Los Angeles Police Department, from whom she was taking flying lessons. While flying to Yuma for the ceremony, their plane developed engine trouble and they were forced to set down in the sand dunes near Palm Springs, wrecking the plane. Undeterred, they procured another plane in Palm Springs and flew on to Yuma to be married. The Yellow Rose of Texas (song)
In September 1955, for six weeks, Mitch Miller had a "Billboard" number one hit with "The Yellow Rose of Texas", and 13 months later, Miller's hit version was used for a key scene in the 1956 Texas-based film "Giant". Miller's lyrics used "rosebud" and no words - except the term "yellow" - to indicate either Rose or the singer was a person of color. The 1955 song became a gold record. The song achieved the #2 position in the UK and the #1 position in Australia.This song became popular among Confederate soldiers in the Texas Brigade during the American Civil War; upon taking command of the Army of Tennessee in July 1864, General John Bell Hood introduced it as a marching song. The final verse and chorus were slightly altered by the remains of Hood's force after their crushing defeat at the Battle of Nashville that December: Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was played in the Astrodome from 1968 through 1984, as well in 1987. When held in the Astrodome, it was called the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. The proceeds from the bowl games were distributed to various Harris County charitable organizations. The game was discontinued following the 1987 season due to poor ticket sales and lack of a title sponsor. Houstonia purpurea
Houstonia purpurea (formerly "Hedyotis purpurea") is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family known by the common names Venus's pride, woodland bluet, and purple bluet. It is native to the eastern United States from eastern Texas and Oklahoma east to Florida and Pennsylvania, with scattered populations in Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, New York State and New England. Schoenolirion wrightii
Schoenolirion wrightii, known as Texas sunnybell, is a species of flowering plant in the Agave subfamily. It is native to the southern United States, in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama. Texas sunnybell produces vertical rootstocks topped with prominent bulbs, each up to in diameter. Between two and seven leaves are produced per plant, up to long and only across each, flattened to slightly keeled and usually shorter than the flowerhead. The ovate to lanceolate tepals are white with a green stripe on the back, mostly three-veined, but sometimes five-veined. "Schoenolirion wrightii" flowers between March and May, occurring in sandstone outcrops, wet pinelands, and boggy places. Lupinus texensis
It is an annual which begins its life as a small, gravel-like seed. The seed has a hard seed coat that must be penetrated by wind, rain, and weather over the course of a few months (but sometimes several years). In the fall, the bluebonnets emerge as small seedings with two cotyledons, and later a rosette of leaves that are palmately compound, with five to seven leaflets 3–10 cm long, green with a faint white edge and hair. Growth continues over the mild winter, and then in the spring takes off, rapidly grow larger, before sending up a 20– to 50-cm-tall plume of blue flowers (with bits of white and occasionally a tinge of pinkish-red). The scent of these blossoms has been diversely described; many people say they give off no scent at all, while a few have described the scent as 'sickly sweet'. Farwell, Texas
The Farwell Lady Blue won their first Class 2A State Championship in 2002, a 47-35 victory against Brock in front of 8,870 fans at the Frank Erwin Center at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2001, the first year the Lady Blue had competed in Class 2A, the Lady Blue's inexperience in big games showed as it lost a two-point semifinal match-up against Salado. In 2002, the Lady Blue survived its non-district schedule, finishing with a more-than-respectable 14-6 record. Farwell finished second in District 4-2A, losing only twice to seventh-ranked Hale Center by a combined six points. While the girls team had never traveled to Austin for the basketball tournament, the Farwell Steers (boys) advanced there in 1989. Farwell's girls' athletic teams were originally known as the Steerettes but now have the mascot Lady Blue after the school's official colors. The Lady Blue cross country team has made the trip to state three seasons in a row. Austin, Texas
Austin is located at the intersection of four major ecological regions, and is consequently a temperate-to-hot green oasis with a highly variable climate having some characteristics of the desert, the tropics, and a wetter climate. The area is very diverse ecologically and biologically, and is home to a variety of animals and plants. Notably, the area is home to many types of wildflowers that blossom throughout the year but especially in the spring. This includes the popular bluebonnets, some planted by "Lady Bird" Johnson, wife of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. Blue Bonnet Court
The Blue Bonnet Court, originally called the Bluebonnet Tourist Camp, is a historic motor court-style motel in north-central Austin, Texas. Built in 1928-1929 by Joe and Elizabeth Lucas, the motel is situated on the northwestern corner of the Hyde Park subdivision along what was then the main road out of town. In the 1930s it featured Austin's first neon sign, which still hangs from the front (though in a dilapidated condition). History of Texas Longhorns football
During his second season, he won the SWC going 7–2 including huge shutout wins over TCU and Texas A&M. The 1928 Longhorns were the first to wear "Texas orange" (burnt orange) jerseys. The change was made because the bright orange jerseys UT had worn faded from repeated washings. Burnt orange jerseys were worn for the next decade until a wartime dye shortage forced UT to go back to the bright orange. The darker orange was not re-adopted until Darrell Royal did so prior to the 1962 season. Hall of State
The curved exedra at the entrance to the Hall of Texas features tall limestone pillars sit in front of blue tiles designed to evoke the state's flower, the bluebonnet ("Lupinus texensis"). In the center, above the entrance is an bronze with gold leaf statue by Allie Tennant of the "Tejas Warrior": an archer holds high a bow without an arrow, meant to symbolize peace. Ennis, Texas
The second major festival hosted in Ennis is the Bluebonnet Trails Festival, celebrating the state flower of Texas and the vibrant bloom of wildflowers in the surrounding countryside. The event attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year to events including sightseeing excursions and a festival in downtown. The festival is held on the third weekend of April, and the Bluebonnet Trails are hosted for the entire month. First hosted along the Kachina Prairie Park's historic mile-long trail system in 1938, the Bluebonnet Trails have since expanded into a route map of several dozen miles along rural farm roads throughout the surrounding countryside east and northeast of the city. The routes for these sightseeing excursions have been officially hosted and mapped out by the Ennis Garden Club since 1951. To commemorate the popularity of the Bluebonnet Trails Festival and the efforts made to celebrate and preserve the state flower of Texas, Ennis was designated by the 1997 Texas State Legislature as the "Official Bluebonnet City of Texas" and home to the "Official Bluebonnet Trail of Texas." List of Texas state symbols
A pledge of allegiance to the Texas flag was established in 1933. Texas Longhorns football
317 Longhorns have been drafted into the NFL, including 43 in the 1st round., The Longhorns currently have 22 players active on NFL rosters.The 1893 team did not always wear orange. They also wore gold and white uniforms. In 1895, the Texas Athletic Association moved to orange and white colors. In 1897, the Association moved to orange and maroon to save cleaning costs. The Cactus Yearbook at the time listed the University colors as either gold or orange and white until the 1899 Cactus declared the University colors to be gold and maroon. Students at the University's medical branch in Galveston (UTMB) were in favor of royal blue. By 1899, a UT fan could have worn any of yellow, orange, white, red, maroon, or even blue. Red Steagall
The Texas Legislature named Red Steagall the Official Cowboy Poet of Texas in April 1991. Steagall was an early participant in the American Cowboy Culture Association, which holds the annual National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration each September in Lubbock. 2007 Texas Longhorns football team
The first Longhorn game of the season marked the first-ever meeting between Texas and Arkansas State, a NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team from the Sun Belt Conference. Pre-game media attention played upon the fact that both schools won national football championships in 1970. Both schools entered the game with a level of controversy attached to their teams. Arkansas State was facing criticism over its team name. The team was nicknamed "Indians" in honor of the Osage Nation that inhabited the area until the 1800s. The NCAA enforced restrictions on the use of Indian mascots, saying that they were derogatory to American Indians. In 2008, the Indians changed their name to the Red Wolves. The University of Texas was dealing with player suspensions, and passed a large pay raise for Mack Brown one week prior to the game. As part of the package, Brown received a $100,000 special payment upon completion of the game. Wills Point, Texas
Founded in 1873, Wills Point gets its name from an early American settler, William Wills, who had arrived in the area "circa" 1848. Wills eventually purchased a cabin from Adam Sullivan in 1852 [citation needed]. The name 'point' may also derive from the shape of the original timberline near the cabin, though there have been unsubstantiated arguments that the name relates to the area's elevation. The layout of the city was the work of engineer General Grenville M. Dodge of the California Construction Company. The downtown streets were laid with red bricks upon packed sand in the 1920s by locals and remain in use. Downtown Wills Point has many of its original buildings that are over one hundred years old including the Wills cabin, a drug store, a dry good store, and a law office. Governor George W. Bush officially named Wills Point the Bluebird Capital of Texas in 1995. Texas Cowboys
In 1922, the University of Texas at Austin found itself in need of a men's service organization. Two men, head cheerleader Arno Nowotny and Longhorn Band president Bill McGill, began working together to recruit a very select group of young men who were dedicated to leadership and service. In 1922, forty men from all aspects of campus life were chosen by McGill and Nowotny to be the first Texas Cowboys. Throughout its nearly 100 years of existence, becoming a Texas Cowboy became a high honor, developed through the accomplishments of its members and from the organization's tradition of service and spirit. History of Texas Longhorns football
The Mack Brown era officially debuted with a 66–36 win over New Mexico State in Austin in which running back Ricky Williams would account for six rushing touchdowns. Texas was able to build on that momentum winning six straight including an upset win over Nebraska, 20–16, in Lincoln, Nebraska; which snapped the Cornhuskers streak of 48 straight home victories. The team would go undefeated at home that season and close out a thrilling 26–24 last minute upset win over #6 rival Texas A&M, Texas went on to face and dominate Mississippi State in the 1999 Cotton Bowl Classic, their first New Years Bowl victory since 1981. After a great start in 1998, the talk of national championships began in 1999. However, the talk quickly died after a rocky start, but Texas rebounded with a huge third straight victory over No. 3 Nebraska in Austin and finished the season 9–5. The 2000 season had many people speaking of a championship run with the loaded talent recruited from the previous year. There were growing pains during the season as Texas finished 2nd in the Big 12 and 9–3 overall. In 2001, Texas went 10–1 on the season and was heading towards a national championship appearance against Miami but were upset in the Big 12 championship by Colorado, who they had previously beaten soundly in the regular season. Texas finished the year with an exciting shoot-out win in the Holiday Bowl over Washington where Major Applewhite would set a passing record of 473 yards in a come from behind 47-43 victory. The Holiday Bowl would be voted as the most watched bowl game of the 2001 season. Applewhite finished his career with a 22-6 record as a starting quarterback. Texas would finish the season 11–2 ranked in the top five. Charlie Dunn
Almost any design imaginable appears on a Charlie boot—oil derricks, animals, names, initials, logos, scenes, just about everything was sketched and worked into the upper and, less frequently, the lower foot. Charlie's signature design, dating to the pair he built "on spec" that Ernest Tubb bought, was the inlaid rose. It began, as did all of his creations, with a detailed sketch. He liked to work from life, so he used actual roses to inspire his design, and Charlie's immense artistic skill allowed the design to bloom. Drawing an intricate rose the size of a quarter is one thing; figuring how to create it out of leather, in-lay it in proportion on the boot, was quite another. So difficult and unique was this design, Charlie kept the process secret for decades, until he passed along the secrets to Miller.
One client asked for bluebonnets to adorn his uppers, but Charlie hesitated because he didn't have one on hand to study. The client, a "real honest man" according to Charlie, soon showed up with the flower, a move that horrified him because he believed, as did most Texans, that it was illegal to pick the state flower! "I have to use a real bluebonnet or rose as my model," Charlie noted. "The bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes only bloom outside in the spring, but I have a source that will give them to me all year 'round. A color photograph just isn't enough to help me capture them on leather." Whenever possible, Charlie, the artist, drew inspiration from the thing itself. Sometimes, however, he did not. Cucurbita texana
Cucurbita texana, also known as Cucurbita pepo" subsp. "texana and Texas gourd, is a mesophyte plant species of the genus "Cucurbita". It is native to Texas, primarily the southeastern region. It is found only in the wild. It is possibly a progenitor and close relative of the domesticated species "Cucurbita pepo", though it and wild "C. pepo" are native to different areas. "Cucurbita fraterna" is also closely related. It was first collected 1835 by J. L. Berlandier in southern Texas. It was formally described as "Tristemon texanus" by George Heinrich Adolf Scheele in 1848 and transferred to the genus "Cucurbita" by Asa Gray in 1850. Floral emblem
In 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed legislation to make the rose the floral emblem of the United States. In the United States, state flowers and trees have been adopted as symbols by state legislatures. Buddleja racemosa
Buddleja racemosa, commonly known as the Wand (or Texas) Butterfly Bush, is endemic to the southern edge of the limestone Edwards Plateau in Texas, United States, from Austin to Rocksprings, growing around streams, creeks and springs at elevations of 250 – 750 m. The plant was first named and described by John Torrey in 1859. 1974 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
The 1974 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on December 23, 1974 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was the sixteenth edition of the Bluebonnet Bowl. The game matched the against the NC State Wolfpack. It was the final contest of the 1974 NCAA Division I football season for both teams. The game ended in a 31–31 tie. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
On June 20, 2006, the University of Texas System Board of Regents announced a plan to incorporate the Wildflower Center into The University of Texas at Austin. In 2010, a donation of $1.4 million from the San Antonio Area Foundation was designated toward the establishment of a 16-acre arboretum. The Mollie Steves Zachry Texas Arboretum, which was dedicated on April 30, 2011 and opened in the spring of 2012, displays all 53 species of oak trees that are native to Texas. In April 2012, Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of Lady Bird Johnson, and her husband Ian Turpin donated $1 million toward a family garden that will be named in their honor. The 4.5-acre native plant garden features a wading creek, a maze of 3-foot-tall native hedges, and a walk-in grotto. It was opened in May 2014. Tillandsia baileyi
Tillandsia baileyi, commonly known as the reflexed airplant or Bailey's ball moss, is a species of bromeliad that is native to southern Texas in the United States and Tamaulipas in Mexico. It is found along the Gulf of Mexico from Kingsville, Texas to Tampico, Tamaulipas. Preferred host plants for this epiphyte include Southern live oak ("Quercus virginiana") and Texas ebony ("Ebenopsis ebano"). List of Washington state symbols
While some of the symbols are unique to Washington, others are used by multiple states. For example, the willow goldfinch (also known as the American goldfinch), Washington's state bird, is also an official symbol for Iowa and New Jersey.[2] Washington's state grass, bluebunch wheatgrass, is also a symbol for the state of Montana.[3] The square dance and apple are commonly used state dances and state foods, respectively. While most states have an official motto and nickname, Washington's motto ("Al-ki", meaning "by and by" in Chinook Jargon) and nickname ("The Evergreen State") have never been officially adopted by the Legislature.[4] Johnny Burnette
As the Burnette Brothers, they released one single, for Imperial, "Warm Love" backed with "My Honey" (Imperial X5509), on May 5, 1958. It did not make the charts. After this failure, they continued to work together as songwriters but began to follow separate careers as performing artists. In 1961, however, Johnny and Dorsey released two instrumental singles, credited to the Texans, for two small labels, Infinity and Gothic: "Green Grass of Texas" backed with "Bloody River" (Infinity INX-001), released on February 20, 1961, and "Rockin' Johnny Home" backed with "Ole Reb" (Gothic GOX-001), released on May 29, 1961. Another instrumental, "Lonely Island" backed with"Green Hills" (Liberty 55460), credited to the Shamrocks, was released by Liberty Records on June 6, 1962. "Green Grass of Texas" and "Bloody River" were to be re-released in February 1965 on the Vee Jay label (VJ 658), again credited to the Texans. Republic of Texas
The first flag of the republic was the "Burnet Flag" (a single gold star on an azure field), followed in 1839 by official adoption of the Lone Star Flag. Crawford County, Georgia
Joanna Troutman, who designed the first Lone Star flag (later adopted as the Texas State Flag), was born in Crawford County. She presented her flag to a Volunteer Georgia Battalion, who went to Texas in 1835 to assist Texans in their fight for independence. The flag was first flown at Velasco January 8, 1836, and was hoisted along with the Bloody Arm flag at Goliad on news of the declaration of independence March 8, 1836. Although Troutman lived most of her life in Knoxville, her remains were moved to the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, where a bronze statue was erected in her honor. A portrait of Troutman also hangs in the Texas State Capitol. Mike Cotten
For the next two years, Cotten was the starting quarterback for Texas and in the second year ran Royal's first great innovation - the Flip Flop offense, a winged-T formation that simplified the offense. In 1960, the Longhorns went 7-3-1 for a disappointing 2nd-place finish in the Southwest Conference and finished the season with a 3-3 tie against #9 Alabama in the school's first Bluebonnet Bowl appearance. Alamo Fire
Alamo Fire or Texas Maroon are names given to a maroon hybrid cultivar of "Lupinus texensis" (or bluebonnet), Texas' state flower.  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin is the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas. The center features more than 900 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings and is home to a breadth of educational programs and events. The center is 284 acres and located 10 miles southwest of downtown Austin, Texas just inside the edge of the distinctive Texas hill country. It straddles both Edwards Plateau and Texas Blackland Prairies ecosystems. Music of Texas
The following Texans have had a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit (since 1957): Beyoncé (5 #1 hits like "Crazy in Love" in 2003), Destiny's Child (4 #1 hits like "Say My Name" in 2000), Kelly Rowland (4 #1 hits like Dilemma in 2002), Kelly Clarkson (3 #1 hits like "A Moment Like This" in 2002), rock and roll pioneer Roy Orbison (d.1988) (2 #1 hits like "Oh, Pretty Woman" in 1964), country singer Kenny Rogers (2 #1s like "Islands in the Stream" in 1983), Christopher Cross (2 #1s like "Sailing" in 1980), The Crickets (w/Buddy Holly (d.1959), "That'll Be the Day" in 1957), B.J. Thomas ("Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" in 1970), Janis Joplin (d.1970) ("Me and Bobby McGee" in 1971, she attended the University of Texas), Johnny Nash ("I Can See Clearly Now" in 1972), Meat Loaf ("I'd Do Anything for Love" in 1993), Lisa Loeb ("Stay (I Missed You)" in 1994), country group Lonestar ("Amazed" in 2000), Houston rapper Chamillionaire ("Ridin'" in 2006), and Dallas rapper Post Malone 2 #1's (like "Rockstar" in 2017). Bonnie Blue Flag
Later referred to as the Burnet Flag, it was adopted by the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 10, 1836. It consisted of an azure background with a large golden star, inspired by the 1810 flag of the Republic of West Florida. Variants of the Burnet Flag with a white star, virtually identical to the Bonnie Blue Flag, were also common. Other variants featured the star (of either color) upside down, and/or ringed with the word Texas, with each letter filling one of the gaps of the star. Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant
The plant was operated by the National Gypsum Company but overseen by the military and was one of the four Ordnance plants in the United States during World War II. The army engineers were in charge of all plant construction while the Gypsum personnel and others worked out other strategies. Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant got its name from Major Paul Van Tuyl, who named the plant after the state flower of Texas (Bluebonnet). Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative
Bluebonnet’s service area stretches from Travis County to Washington County and from Milam County to Gonzales County. Bluebonnet currently serves over 90,000 meters and owns and maintains more than 11,000 miles of power lines, which are located across 3,800 square miles within 14 southeastern Texas counties. Wildflowers (Dolly Parton song)
In 2008, the recording was played at a reception by the Texas State Democratic Party, honoring former First Lady Ladybird Johnson. Johnson's love of wild flowers was well known, and she had long championed the planting of them along the U.S. highways. 1959 Bluebonnet Bowl
The 1959 Bluebonnet Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Clemson Tigers. This was the first ever Bluebonnet Bowl, a bowl game that usually featured a team from Texas against an out-of-state opponent, with 19 out of the 29 games in this series involving a team from Texas, or from the SWC. National Flower of the Republic of China
The National Flower of the Republic of China was officially designated as the plum blossom by the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China on July 21, 1964.[1] The plum blossom, known as the meihua (Chinese:梅花; pinyin:méihuā), is symbol for resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity, because plum blossoms often bloom most vibrantly even amidst the harsh winter snow.[2][3] As the plum tree can usually grow for a long time, ancient trees are found throughout China. Huangmei county (Yellow Mei) in Hubei features a 1,600-year-old plum tree from the Jin Dynasty which is still flowering. The three stamens represents Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People, while the five petals symbolize the five branches of the government: Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, Judicial Yuan, Examination Yuan and Control Yuan.[1][3] The flower has also been proposed to be one of the national flowers for the People's Republic of China.[4] Cannabis in Texas
On 1 June 2015, governor Greg Abbott signed the Texas Compassionate Use Act, allowing the use of low-THC CBD oil to treat epilepsy in Texas. Abbott caveated his support: "I remain convinced that Texas should not legalize marijuana, nor should Texas open the door for conventional marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes." This followed a House vote of 96–34 on SB339. Texas Longhorns football
The Board of Regents held an election in that year to decide the team colors. Students, faculty, staff and alumni were asked to vote. 1,111 votes were cast, with 562 in favor of orange and white. Orange and maroon received 310, royal blue 203, crimson 10, and royal blue and crimson 11. For the next thirty years, Longhorn teams wore bright orange on their uniforms, which faded to yellow by the end of the season. By the 1920s, other teams sometimes called the Longhorn squads "yellow bellies," a term that didn't sit well with the athletic department. In 1928, UT football coach Clyde Littlefield ordered uniforms in a darker shade of orange that wouldn't fade, which would later become known as "burnt orange" or "Texas orange." The dark-orange color was used until the dye became too expensive during the Great Depression, and the uniforms reverted to the bright orange for another two decades, until coach Darrell K Royal revived the burnt-orange color in the early 1960s. World's Largest Texas Flag
The original flag was given to Texas governor Price Daniel by Mississippi governor Ross Barnett during the halftime show of the 1962 Cotton Bowl (after which Texas beat Ole Miss 12-7). The flag was meant as a gesture of southern hospitality from the citizens of Mississippi to the citizens of Texas. Governor Daniel later gave the flag to the Longhorn Band. The band later, however, returned the flag to the university where it eventually made its way to the men's athletic department. The next football season, APO was asked to run the flag and the first APO flag run was at the Thanksgiving Day game in 1962 against Texas A&M. The original Texas flag measured 17 yards by 30 yards (51 feet by 90 feet). The second Texas flag was made and came into APO's possession around 1966. Unfortunately not much is known about this flag because the records have not survived. It is assumed to be roughly the same size as the first flag.http://studentorgs.utexas.edu/apo/texasflag.php Blue Mound, Texas
The community's history dates back to the 1920s, when Scottish immigrant John Kennedy established Globe Laboratories, Inc. to produce serum to immunize cattle against blackleg, a disease that affected calves under two years of age. About ten years later, he sold the company to his partner. Kennedy later purchased of land in an area bordered by East McLeroy Boulevard on the north and FM 156 (Blue Mound Road) to the east. His interest in aircraft led him to create the Globe Aircraft Company. As his operation grew, more and more people began to settle near his plant. The settlement was initially known as Saginaw Park, but later took the name Blue Mound after a nearby hill. During the 1950s, Bell Helicopter used the Kennedy facility to develop its new helicopters, but the company left the facility in 1960. Blue Mound incorporated in 1957 and had a population of 1,253 by the 1960 census. That figure had risen to 1,283 by 1970 and 2,169 in 1980 as the city became a bedroom community for those employed in Fort Worth and the surrounding area. The 1990 census showed a slight decline in population, to 2,133. By 2000, the number of inhabitants had risen to 2,388. History of Texas Longhorns football
The 1940 season carried the momentum from the previous year as Texas was officially ranked in the AP poll for the first time. After an 8–2 season in 1940 where Noble Doss made the infamous "Impossible Catch" to set up Texas' 7–0 victory over Texas A&M kept the Aggies from repeating as National Champions and appearing in the Rose Bowl. In 1941, Bible then led the Longhorns to their 1st No. 1 ranking in 1941 during the season and finished the year 8–1–1 where many sportswriters named the 1941 team National Champions however they were not selected by the AP Poll that year. The 1941 Texas team is however recognized by the NCAA as National Champions. Texas won its first six games of the season, three by shutouts. After a 34-0 win over Southern Methodist, the Longhorns reached No. 1 in the polls and seemed destined for the Rose Bowl until a 7-7 tie in Waco against Baylor. SMU coach Matty Bell proclaimed UT as "the greatest team in Southwest Conference history ... even better than my Rose Bowl team of 1935." When the Longhorns arrived back at their dormitory from beating the Mustangs, "Miss Grif", the house mother, placed a long-stemmed rose on each plate at the dinner table. Texas anxiously awaited their opportunity to receive a Rose Bowl bid having turned down bids from the Cotton, Orange, and Sugar Bowls that year. Rose Bowl officials elected not to award the bid to Texas since they had one remaining game against Oregon, who had already lost to Oregon State earlier that year. After not being awarded the bid, Texas then took out its frustration on Oregon, overwhelming them 71–7. The Longhorns of 1941 were featured on the cover of Life Magazine, and are still to this day considered one of the greatest Texas teams of all time. The Longhorns of 1941 were the first Texas team to reach the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll. It was the first Texas team to have consensus All-Americans selected and the first to win the inaugural hat-inspired trophy for the winner of the Texas-Oklahoma game at the State Fair. Also, because of the 1941 Longhorns, fans first burned red candles at a hex rally against Texas A&M. They even escorted the team with a torchlight parade, another tradition that still lives today. Billie Jean Floyd
While campaigning, Floyd would hand peppermints to the public saying, "“Hello, my name is Billie Floyd and I’m running for the State Senate, and I just want to tell you that your vote would mean a mint to me, and here it is to show you."Floyd's old botany professor from East Central, Dr. Doyle McCoy, approached her in order to establish a state flower. Floyd carried the bill in the senate that inaugurated the Indian Blanket as the state flower of Oklahoma. Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl generally featured a team from Texas against an out-of-state opponent; 19 out of the 29 games involved a team from Texas. From 1980 to 1987, with the exception of 1981, a runner-up from the Southwest Conference played against an at-large opponent. The hometown Houston Cougars played in four games, all before joining the SWC. Runners-up from the Big 8 or Southeastern Conferences were also perennial participants. Mary of Jesus of Ágreda
San Angelo, Texas credits the abbess as a pioneering force behind the establishment of early Texas missions. Jumano Native Americans reminisce about her role in their survival, and her possible connection to the legend of Texas's state flower, the bluebonnet. Texas Bowl
The Texas Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game first held in 2006 in Houston, Texas. The bowl replaced the defunct Houston Bowl, which played annually from 2000 to 2005, and before that the Bluebonnet Bowl, the first bowl game in Houston, played from 1959 through 1987. Abronia macrocarpa
Abronia macrocarpa is a rare species of flowering plant known by the common name largefruit sand verbena. It is endemic to eastern Texas, where it is known from three counties. It inhabits harsh, open sand dunes on savannas, growing in deep, poor soils. It was first collected in 1968 and described as a new species in 1972. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. University of Texas at San Antonio
By 1975, the university's future colors were being openly discussed among student leaders and the administration. UTSA's third color of blue was selected, beating out other proposed colors such as "fiesta red" and "cactus green". The John Peace Library opened the next year, serving as the new administrative headquarters for the university. The discussion of a university mascot soon followed the selection of school colors. In the fall of 1977 an election was held to determine the school's mascot, with "the armadillos" and "the stars" taking the top two spots. However, the referendum was declared void by the student government and a new election was held with nine candidates and a write-in option. The top two choices from the second election, the roadrunner and the armadillo, campaigned in a competitive run-off. On December 9, 1977 the roadrunner was announced as UTSA's first and only mascot. Six flags over Texas
The fourth flag belonged to the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1845. The Republic had two national flags during its history, the first being the so-called "Burnet Flag". The "Lone Star Flag", the final national flag, became the state flag when Texas joined the United States as a U.S. state in 1845. Texas Cavalry Medal
The medal was designed by Anthony de Francisci based on design and imagery criteria specified by The Equipment Branch, Quartermaster General Department of the Army. The approved design is a bronze hexagonal medal in diameter. The obverse of the medal depicts the bluebonnet, the state flower of Texas. Inscribed around the edge are the words "AWARDED • BY • CONGRESS • FOR • SERVICE"; at the top of the medal and "TEXAS • CAVALRY"; at the bottom of the medal. The reverse of the medal bears the Coat of arms of Texas, a Lone Star encircled by a wreath, surrounded by the dates of service in 1918 when the cavalry became eligible for federal activation and the signing of the armistice to end World War I. Texas State Bobcats
The bobcat is indigenous to Central Texas, where Texas State University is located. Oscar Strahan, a former athletic director and football coach for the school, was quoted as saying, "A bobcat will fight you with everything he has: with four claws, teeth, speed and brains." The colors, maroon and gold, come from the Gaillardia flower, which is native to the region. Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy
Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy, released on Atlantic Records in November 1979, was the second album from the American female funk band, The Brides of Funkenstein. Morphing into a trio on the second album release, the vocalists consisted of Dawn Silva, Sheila Horne, and Jeanette McGruder. Horne and McGruder served as background vocalists on subsequent P-Funk concert tours.
Never Buy Texas From a Cowboy would be granted a Cashbox Rhythm & Blues Award in 1981 for 'Best Female Group'. The song slated for the award was the 1979 single "Didn't Mean To Fall In Love", written and produced by Ron Dunbar. The album's top single release, "Never Buy Texas From a Cowboy" became a hit in the Midwest, Europe and Asia. "Never Buy Texas from A Cowboy" resurfaced in 2001 with "Rolling Stone" rating this album as the top 50 coolest albums of all times. Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown has a notable range of Victorian commercial and residential architecture. In 1976, a local historic ordinance was passed to recognize and protect the significance of the historic central business district, and in 1977, the Williamson County Courthouse Historical District, containing some 46 contributing structures, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Georgetown is also known as the "Red Poppy" Capital of Texas for the red poppy "(Papaver rhoeas)" wildflowers planted throughout the city. Georgetown's Red Poppy Festival, which attracts up to 30,000 visitors annually, is held in April each year on the historic square. Yellow Rose of Texas Award
The award was conceived and inaugurated by Governor Allan Shivers before the end of his second term in 1957. The Yellow Rose of Texas Commission (sometimes called "Yellow Rose of Texas Award") is the highest award bestowed on women by the Texas Governor. Iris versicolor
The iris is the official state flower of the U.S. state of Tennessee. This designation was made in 1933 by the state legislature. Although the law does not specifically define a type of iris, it is generally accepted that the purple iris is the state flower. Rhododendron State Park
The rhododendrons bloom in mid-July, and were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1982. The park also includes wild blueberries, cranberries, mountain laurel, heathers, mayflower, and wintergreen. University of Texas Longhorn Band
First performed in 1957, "Script Texas" is a traditional halftime show performed every year. The Drum Major leads the band onto the field in a single-file line, spelling "Texas" in script writing. The band is split into two blocks at the start of the performance and begins by playing "The Yellow Rose of Texas." The Drum Major marches over to the front of block one and block one begins spelling out the T-E-X of "Texas". They only spell out the bottom part of the T and the / of the X, though. While the first block follows the Drum Major out onto the field, the color guard who are in block one march in a large circle to the side of the band before putting the top on the T after block one has marched to their positions. At the end of "The Yellow Rose of Texas," the band goes straight into "March of the Longhorns" and the rest of "Texas" is spelled out. Once "March of the Longhorns" is over, "Calypso" starts and the Drum Major leads the Saxophones, who are by themselves, into an arc that comes down and below A and S. This concludes Script Texas, and "Texas Fight" is played while the band marches off of the field. 1976 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
Texas Tech won their first eight games, rising from unranked to #5 in the nation with wins over and being highlight wins. However, a loss to #9 Houston at home cost them a chance at an undefeated season, though wins at Arkansas and meant that the Red Raiders won a share of the Southwest Conference, their first conference title since 1955. This was Texas Tech's fifth bowl game of the decade. Ten Commandments Monument (Austin, Texas)
The Ten Commandments Monument is installed on the Texas State Capitol grounds in Austin, Texas, United States. The Texas Sunset Red Granite artwork was designed by an unknown artist and erected by the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Texas in 1961. It was the subject of litigation in the Supreme Court case "Van Orden v. Perry" (2005). Valery Havard
Valery Havard (February 18, 1846 – November 6, 1927), was a career army officer, physician, author, and botanist. Although he held many notable posts during his military career, he is most well known for his service on the western frontier of the United States and in Cuba. Many Texas plants are named for Havard, including the Chisos bluebonnet ("Lupinus havardii"), Havard oak ("Quercus havardii"), and Havard's evening primrose ("Oenothera havardii"). The Yellow Rose of Texas (song)
In 1984, country music artists Johnny Lee and Lane Brody recorded a song called "The Yellow Rose," which retained the original melody of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" but with new lyrics, for the title theme to a TV series also entitled "The Yellow Rose." It was a Number One country hit that year. Coat of arms of Texas
With its independence from Mexico in 1836, the new Republic of Texas was in need of its own national emblems. A “lone” star had been a common symbol of the independence movement, featuring in various flags such as Captain Scott's Flag, the De Zavala Flag, the Harrisburg Volunteer's Flags and others. The Congress of the Republic adopted legislation on January 25, 1839, that established the official symbols of the republic, including the flag, which is still in use as the state flag of Texas, the great seal and the coat of arms, all of which featured a lone star. Yellow Rose of Texas Award
The award name, "Yellow Rose of Texas," was chosen by Governor Shivers to honor the woman known by that name, Emily Morgan, who as a 20-year-old slave, according to legend, was instrumental in the victory of the Battle of San Jacinto, which, reportedly lasted 18 minutes, which, in turn, sealed the fate for Texas independence. Texas Longhorn
As Texas became more heavily settled following annexation by the US, the frontier gave way to established farms and ranch lands. The leaner beef of the Texas Longhorn was not as attractive in an era where tallow was highly prized, and the breed's ability to survive on the poor vegetation of the open range was no longer as much of an issue. Other breeds demonstrated traits more highly valued by the modern rancher, such as the ability to gain weight quickly. The Texas Longhorn stock slowly dwindled, until in 1927, when the breed was saved from near extinction by enthusiasts from the United States Forest Service, who collected a small herd of stock to breed on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Lawton, Oklahoma. The breed also received significant attention after a Texas Longhorn named "Bevo" was adopted as the mascot of The University of Texas at Austin in 1917, and an image of the animal became commonly associated with the school's sports teams, known as the Texas Longhorns. A few years later, J. Frank Dobie and others gathered small herds to keep in Texas state parks. Oilman Sid W. Richardson helped finance the project. They were cared for largely as curiosities, but the stock's longevity, resistance to disease and ability to thrive on marginal pastures quickly revived the breed as beef stock and for their link to Texas history. Texas Longhorns with elite genetics can often sell for $40,000 or more at auction, with the record of $380,000 on March 18, 2017 for a cow 3S Danica and heifer calf at side during the Legacy XIII sale in Fort Worth, Texas.  Bluebonnet Bowl
The bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas. J. J. Pickle Research Campus
Despite all this, a significant amount of the campus remains undeveloped. While there are roads throughout the campus, many of them border empty plots of land. UT administrators have announced plans to eventually develop the PRC into a full-fledged campus, but they are only preliminary. Visitors will also observe numerous bluebonnets, the Texas state flower, at the PRC. They are visible outside the campus from Burnet Road, but can be found in various places throughout the site. Helianthus annuus
Although it was commonly accepted that the sunflower was first domesticated in what is now the southeastern US, roughly 5000 years ago, there is evidence that it was first domesticated in Mexico around 2600 BC. These crops were found in Tabasco, Mexico at the San Andres dig site. The earliest known examples in the United States of a fully domesticated sunflower have been found in Tennessee, and date to around 2300 BC. Other very early examples come from rockshelter sites in Eastern Kentucky. Many indigenous American peoples used the sunflower as the symbol of their solar deity, including the Aztecs and the Otomi of Mexico and the Incas in South America. In 1510 early Spanish explorers encountered the sunflower in the Americas and carried its seeds back to Europe. Of the four plants known to have been domesticated in what is now the eastern continental United States and to have become important agricultural commodities, the sunflower is currently the most economically important. Fauna of Louisiana
In 1958, the pelican was made the official state bird of Louisiana. This act was amended on July 26, 1966 to specifically designate the brown pelican, the National Basketball Association's New Orleans Pelicans are named in honor of Louisiana's state bird. The eastern brown pelican is also the national bird of Barbados and the Turks and Caicos Islands, it is also one of the mascots of Tulane University and is on the seals of Tulane University, Louisiana State University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. 2007 Texas Longhorns football team
Each 2007 Longhorn football helmet featured a Texas bluebonnet decal. The decal was chosen to honor President Lyndon B. Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson and the Johnson family. Brown said President Johnson used to enjoy discussing football with former UT coach Darrell K Royal, while the first lady was known for her conservation efforts, particularly the spread of native wildflowers. 2005 Texas Longhorns football team
Special editions of magazines and products featured the team. "Dave Campbell's Texas Football" put out a 45,000-copy special issue titled "One for the Ages – Vince Young Leads Longhorns to the Fourth National Title". This issue included a column from Longhorn fan Matthew McConaughey as well as 15 pages of photos from the Rose Bowl. The cover featured Young kissing the "crystal football" national championship trophy. "Sports Illustrated" held up their regular weekly edition to await the results of the Rose Bowl. They finally went to press with a cover showing Young diving into the end zone with the label "Superman". Analysis inside the issue gave Young a large part of the credit for the win. They also printed a special commemorative issue in the state of Texas with Young on the cover, shouting in triumph amidst a storm of multi-colored confetti after winning the game. Features in the special edition included a story on "Vince Young's Glory Days" by Tim Layden, as well as a story dissecting "How the" Rose Bowl "was won" by Austin Murphy. The issue was on sale alongside the regular edition of the magazine. General Mills produced a commemorative issue Wheaties box featuring Mack Brown and a Texas Longhorns football helmet on the front. The commemorative packaging was sold nationwide. Texas is the first national college football champion to be featured since Nebraska was on the box in 1997. Tamaulipa
The only known species is Tamaulipa azurea, is commonly known as blue boneset. The generic name refers to the State of Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico, and to the Tamaulipan mezquital scrubland, which covers much of the state. The species also occurs in the extreme southern part of Texas (Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties) in the United States. It is a climbing shrub or non-twining vine that grows to about and has bluish or blue lavender flowers. History of Texas Longhorns football
In his seventh season, Royal, with the help of star linebacker Tommy Nobis and quarterback Duke Carlisle, led Texas to their first officially recognized national championship in 1963. Texas began that season averaging 35 points per game heading into the annual game with Oklahoma. The game against Oklahoma was the first meeting in the series where both teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll. Texas dominated the game from start to finish and beat the Sooners 28-7. There were no more threats to the team until the annual showdown with Texas A&M in College Station. On a rainy and murky afternoon both teams continued to turn the ball over in what was a close battle to the end. Texas would win 15-13, going on to post a perfect 11–0 record after a 28–6 victory over Navy in the Cotton Bowl Classic, which was another No. 1 vs No. 2 showdown during the season. Prior to the game, Pittsburgh sports writer Myron Cope said, "Tune in your television to the Cotton Bowl and you'll laugh yourself silly. Texas is the biggest fraud ever perpetrated on the football public." Darrell Royal was asked about Cope's comments moments before taking the field. Royal smiled, looked into the camera and said, "We're ready", and Texas went on to dominate the Navy team, solidifying their first official national championship. List of Vermont state symbols
The red clover ("Trifolium pratense") was designated as the state flower in 1895. The red clover is often seen in the countryside of Vermont hosting the state insect – the western honey bee ("Apis mellifera"), designated by Act 124 of the 1978 biennial session of the Vermont General Assembly. A natural companion and frequent visitor to the state flower, the honey bee was chosen for its agricultural benefits, and for being a "social" insect and representing the unity side of Vermont's state motto Freedom and Unity. Tecoma stans
Tecoma stans is a species of flowering perennial shrub in the trumpet vine family, Bignoniaceae, that is native to the Americas. Common names include yellow trumpetbush, yellow bells, yellow elder, ginger-thomas. "Tecoma stans" is the official flower of the United States Virgin Islands and the floral emblem of The Bahamas. Irénée Berge
In 1915 he wrote the song "Blue Bonnet" (with lyricist George Sloan Bryan) and entered it in a contest for the Texas state song. Texas dollar
The Texas dollar, informally named the "Texas redback", was the paper money of the Republic of Texas. The Texas dollar was issued between January 1839 and September 1840 by Mirabeau B. Lamar to minimize national debt during his Presidency of the Republic of Texas. The name "redback" comes from the reddish color of the back of the bills. Inflation, due mainly to overprinting, devalued the notes substantially, making 15 redbacks equal to one United States dollar. This debt of over $10 million was an important factor for annexation into the United States. Texas Longhorns football
Beginning in 1893, the Texas Longhorns football program is one of the most highly regarded and historic programs of all time. From 1937 to 1946 the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Dana X. Bible, and then from 1957 to 1976 the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Darrell K Royal, who won three national championships. The first championship was in 1963 and the second was in 1969. In 2012, the football program was valued at $805 million, more than the calculated value of several NFL teams. In 2008, ESPN ranked Texas as the seventh-most prestigious college football program since 1936. As of the end of the 2018 season, Texas' all-time record is 908–370–33 (.705), which ranks as the second-most wins in NCAA Division I FBS history. Texas is known for their post-season appearances, ranking second in number of bowl game appearances (55), fourth in bowl game victories (29), most Southwest Conference football championships (27), and most Cotton Bowl Classic appearances and victories. Other NCAA records include 108 winning seasons out of 122 total seasons, 24 seasons with 10 or more wins, 9 undefeated seasons, and 26 seasons with at most one loss or tie. From 1936 to 2012, the Longhorns football teams have been in the AP or coaches' rankings 66 out of 76 seasons (86.8% of the time), finishing those seasons ranked in the top twenty-five 48 times and the top ten 28 times. Texas claims four Division I-A national championships (1963, 1969, 1970 and 2005) and 32 conference championships (3 Big 12 Conference, 27 Southwest Conference, and 2 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association). First Ladies and Gentlemen of Texas
Margaret Lea Houston can arguably be called the original First Lady of Texas. Hannah Estey Burnet's husband David G. Burnet was ad interim Republic president before Sam Houston became the official first president. During Houston's first term, he was unmarried. Mirabeau B. Lamar followed Houston and was a widower. Margaret campaigned with her new husband when Houston ran for a second term as president, and rode in the presidential parade, in spite of her dislike of politics. There was no government housing for the family of the president of the Republic. The Houstons divided their time among properties they owned. No role model existed for Margaret. She saw herself not as a political wife, but as a homebody who was responsible for the health, welfare and religious education of her husband and her children. She became a virtual recluse when Sam Houston was elected Governor of Texas and refused any visitors inside the mansion except her own relatives. Margaret Lea Houston's great-great granddaughter Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel also served as First Lady of Texas 1957–1963. Louisiana iris
In 1990, the Louisiana iris was voted the state wildflower. The state flower is the magnolia blossom.
The "Hexagonae" series name is derived from the first Louisiana iris species to inhabit the series, "Iris hexagona". The name "Louisiana iris" comes from the naturalist and artist John James Audubon. In the 1821, a Louisiana flag ("Iris fulva") was painted by his assistant Joseph Mason, then Audubon added his pair of parula warblers. He then used the term 'Louisiana Flag' to describe the painting. Blue Bell Creameries
By 1919, the Creamery was in financial trouble and considered closing its doors. The board of directors hired E.F. Kruse, a 23-year-old former schoolteacher, to take over the company on April 1, 1919. Kruse refused to accept a salary for his first few months in the position so that the company would not be placed in further debt. Under his leadership, the company expanded its production of ice cream to the surrounding Brenham area and soon became profitable. At his suggestion, the company was renamed Blue Bell Creameries in 1930 after the Texas Bluebell, a wildflower native to Texas, and which like ice cream thrives during the summer. Smokey the Cannon
Smokey the Cannon is a famous replica Civil War artillery cannon that has served as part of the pageantry of college football games at the University of Texas at Austin since 1953. Smokey the Cannon is owned and operated by the Texas Cowboys (an honorary men's service organization at Texas) and is stationed in the left corner of the south endzone at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium during every Texas Longhorns home football game. After each football season, Smokey the Cannon is generally displayed in the Red McCombs Endzone atrium for the spring semester. In addition to all home football games, Smokey the Cannon is present at the annual Texas vs. Oklahoma Red River Rivalry game in Dallas, Texas every October, as well as at other select football games outside of Austin, Texas (barring local and stadium permission). Recently, Smokey the Cannon was present at the 2011 Holiday Bowl, in which the Texas Longhorns beat the Cal Golden Bears 21-10 on December 29, 2011; former Texas Cowboy Oldman, Blaine Irby caught 1 pass for 30 yards in the win. Coursetia
Coursetia is a large genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. Members of the genus, commonly known as babybonnets, are shrubs and small trees native to the Southwestern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America as far south as Brazil and Peru. The genus is named for French botanist Georges Louis Marie Dumont de Courset (1746–1824). Texas Longhorns football
† The Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston was discontinued in 1988, but was replaced by the Houston Bowl (2000–2001) and the Texas Bowl (2006–current). University of Tennessee
Charles Moore, president of the university's athletic association, chose orange and white for the school colors on April 12, 1889. His inspiration is said to have come from orange and white daisies which grew on the Hill. To this day there are still orange and white flowers grown outside the University Center. Although students confirmed the colors at a special meeting in 1892, dissatisfaction caused the colors to be dropped. No other acceptable colors could be agreed on, however, and the original colors were reinstated a day later. The University of Tennessee's official colors are UT Orange (Pantone 151), White, and Smokey Gray (Pantone 426). The Blue Rose of Texas
The Blue Rose of Texas is the country music artist Holly Dunn's fourth album, and the first with the Warner Bros. Records label. A single from this album, "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me", was her first number 1 Billboard country single. Another major hit from the album was the fourth track, "There Goes My Heart Again". Dolly Parton provides supporting vocals on her own "Most of All, Why" and Joe Diffie provides backing vocals on "There Goes My Heart Again". Dunn co-produced the album with her brother, Chris Waters. Texas Aces
Prior to the 1980s, no other state had won more than two Miss USA pageants in succession (the only two states to win twice in succession were Virginia in 1969-1970 and Illinois from 1973-1974). The five Texan Miss USA winners were all coached by "GuyRex", Richard Guy and Rex Holt, who held the Texas franchise from 1975. The term was first used in 1988 after Gibbs became their fourth consecutive titleholder, with Guy referring to the four queens as "four aces in a deck of cards", with their fifth titleholder, Kim Tomes (1977) as the "wildcard". The following year Gretchen Polhemus became the fifth and final "ace". The term is still in use. Steamboat House (Huntsville, Texas)
Bailey died shortly before Houston, and the house was inherited by his son Frank. The house was sold to A. C. McKeen, who sold it to Pleasant Kittrell in 1866. Kittrell died in 1867 as the result of the same yellow fever epidemic that claimed the life of Margaret Lea Houston. The house had numerous owners, until it was purchased in 1933 by businessman J.E. Josey, who deeded it to the Texas Historical Commission. The house was moved to the grounds of the university in 1936. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964.