To obtain this point: One must know and identify a group of Texans that have shaped and are shaping this great state.
- Caveat #1- To ensure that your list is deep enough it must be tested: You must be able to have a fight with someone from another state and prove that Texas is better than their state by overwhelming them with the accomplishments of Texans.
This list is divided in to 3 groups- National, State, and Texanacious. Texans are famous throughout the world and the first 15 should be known fairly easily by most Americans. The second list is a group of people who should be familar to Texans. Now the 3rd list is the one that is most important for our purposes. This list is a group of Texans that are very influential, but not as famous. Only a truly Texanacious person would know these individuals.
15 People Everyone Should know
1. Sam Houston- The man!
2. Davy Crockett- Coon-skinned Texan hero
3. Nolan Ryan- Flame Thrower
4. Chester Nimitz- Thank you for your ingenuity in the Pacific during WWII
5. Ross Perot- Large eared oil tycoon and presidential hopeful
6. Stephen F. Austin- Colony former
7. George Bush the Younger/Elder- Love 'em or Hate 'em they are Texans
8. Dan Rather/Walter Cronkite- News anchors
9. Lyndon B. Johnson- President
10. Lance Armstrong- Cyclist and medical inspiration
11. Howard Hughes- Eccentric Billionaire and aviator
12. Willie Nelson and the boys- Singer
13. Lee Harvey Oswald- Assassian of JFK
14. Buddy Holly- Singer
15. Mary Kay Ash- Cosmetic guru
15 People Texans Should know
1. Bonnie and Clyde- Infamous duo
2. Bob Willis and Dale Evans- King and Queen of the Western
3. Kinky Friedman- Author and Comedian
4. Larry McMurtry- Author of Lonesome Dove
5. Barabra Jordan- First black woman to serve in state senate
6. Janis Joplin- Singer
7. Michael Dell- Computer creator
8. Ima Hogg- Philanthopist and recipient of one of the worse names in history
9. T. Boone Pickens- Oil tycoon
10. George Strait- Country Singer
11. Richard King- Founder of King Ranch
12. William Marsh Rice- Entreprenuer and Founder of Rice University
13. Ma Ferguson- 1st Female Governor of Texas. Even after her husband was impeached, convicted, and banned from running for office again, she ran with the slogan “two governors for the price of one.”
14. Sam Rayburn- US Congressman and 17 year Speaker of the House
15. James Michener- Author of Texas and professor at UT-Austin
15 People Truly Texanacious people should know
1. Babe Didrikson Zaharias- most versatile female athletes of all time
2. The Turtle Lady- (Ila Loetscher) protector of sea turtles on South Padre Island
3. Elisabet, Ney- Female Sculptor
4. Dorie Miller- Hero of Pearl Harbor where he went ‘above and beyond the call of duty.’
5. Van Cliburn- Famous Pianist (raised in Texas) who won a Russian pianist contest. He went on the road to Moscow at age 23 and smoked the Russians in playing Tchaikovsky in the middle of the Cold War. Awesome!
6. Gail Borden- surveyor, designor of Galveston, publisher, and inventor of condensed milk
7. James Fannin- Colonel in the Goliad massacre
8. Juan Seguin- Tejano Hero in Texan War for Independence
9. Olveta Culp Hobby- Married to former governor and director of Women’s Army Corp during WWII
10. Stanley Marsh 3- Founder of Cadillac Ranch (He didn't like the Roman Numeral III)
11. Quanah Parker- Chief of the Comache
12. Gene Roddenberry- Founder of Star Trek
13. Joel Osteen- Best selling author and pastor of Lakewood Church
14. Willie Shoemaker- Most successful jockey in history
15. Karl Rove- Mastermind behind George W. Bush’s political success
Enjoy Texas...
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Point #22- Lubbock...Ranching on the Plains
To obtain this Point: One must learn how to rope a dogey at the National Ranching Center in Lubbock.
Before there was oil and microchips propelling the Texas Economy, there was ranching and cowboys. To fully understand this part of Texas history, you need to go to the source and that is the South Plains near Lubbock, where the lifestyle continues. The National Ranching center on the campus of Texas Tech has replicas of authentic ranching buildings and railroad depots.
Other attractions in Lubbock include the Buddy Holly Center, the historic Depot district, Llano Estaniado Winery (Texas' oldest winery), Prairie Dog Town, and Wind Power Museum.
Enjoy Texas and did you know that the South Plains is the largest contiguous cotton producing area in the world. This region is primarily irrigated by the Ogallala Aquifer that (in addition to having a cool name from a Nebraska town...Ogallala) covers from Texas to Wyoming.
Enjoy Texas
Before there was oil and microchips propelling the Texas Economy, there was ranching and cowboys. To fully understand this part of Texas history, you need to go to the source and that is the South Plains near Lubbock, where the lifestyle continues. The National Ranching center on the campus of Texas Tech has replicas of authentic ranching buildings and railroad depots.
Other attractions in Lubbock include the Buddy Holly Center, the historic Depot district, Llano Estaniado Winery (Texas' oldest winery), Prairie Dog Town, and Wind Power Museum.
Enjoy Texas and did you know that the South Plains is the largest contiguous cotton producing area in the world. This region is primarily irrigated by the Ogallala Aquifer that (in addition to having a cool name from a Nebraska town...Ogallala) covers from Texas to Wyoming.
Enjoy Texas
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Point #21- Midland/Odessa...OIL!!!
To obtain this point: One must learn and understand one of the economic keys to Texas...Oil and see Midland/Odessa area during the trip.
- I think the best way to do this would be to go to the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library, and Hall of Fame in Midland.
Midland is famous for a couple of things that include oil (Permian Basin is here), the Bush family sactuary, and high school football. Odessa is its neighbor about 20 miles up the road that provides a little culture- the Globe Theatre of the Southwest (a replica of Shakespeare globe), the Preidential Museum, and the World's Largest Jack Rabbit (10 feet tall)!
As for the Oil...
To truly understand Texas, you need to understand the oil business. Though diverse, the Texas economy has ridden the wave of the Energy business since the days of Spindletop. To be a truly Texanacious person, you have to at least have a grasp of this sector. Here are a couple other places you can learn about the Oil industry:
1) East Texas Oil Museum (Kilgore)
2) Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum (Galveston)
3) Texas Oil Museum (Beaumont)
4) Central Texas Patch Oil Museum (Luling)
Enjoy Texas and did you know that Midland (originally known as Midway, but changed not to get confused with another Midway, TX) got its name because it was 'midway' between Fort Worth and El Paso on the Texas/Pacific Railroad...
- I think the best way to do this would be to go to the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library, and Hall of Fame in Midland.
Midland is famous for a couple of things that include oil (Permian Basin is here), the Bush family sactuary, and high school football. Odessa is its neighbor about 20 miles up the road that provides a little culture- the Globe Theatre of the Southwest (a replica of Shakespeare globe), the Preidential Museum, and the World's Largest Jack Rabbit (10 feet tall)!
As for the Oil...
To truly understand Texas, you need to understand the oil business. Though diverse, the Texas economy has ridden the wave of the Energy business since the days of Spindletop. To be a truly Texanacious person, you have to at least have a grasp of this sector. Here are a couple other places you can learn about the Oil industry:
1) East Texas Oil Museum (Kilgore)
2) Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum (Galveston)
3) Texas Oil Museum (Beaumont)
4) Central Texas Patch Oil Museum (Luling)
Enjoy Texas and did you know that Midland (originally known as Midway, but changed not to get confused with another Midway, TX) got its name because it was 'midway' between Fort Worth and El Paso on the Texas/Pacific Railroad...
Road Map #2- Options, Options, and Options
This is just a little rest stop on the Road to Texanacity to explain the options available for the RTT. As you can see, often times I give various options for things to do to accomplish a point for the RTT. I often debate whether I should mandate a certain pathway or make it more flexible. I have decided to do both.
So to explain: There are definitely some things you have to do (State Capital, State Fair, Battle Site of San Jacinto, or Amarillo...) so there will be no deviation for the course in those cases. However, for some of the more nebulous points, I think it is okay to give some flexibility. I do this with the idea that each person will design their own road that is individualized, but still keeps the spirit intact. I would invite each person to attempt to obtain the points in a way that is more Texanacious than convenient.
What I am trying to say is please don't take this flexibility as an easy way out for not exploring more of Texas that are off the beaten track...
So to explain: There are definitely some things you have to do (State Capital, State Fair, Battle Site of San Jacinto, or Amarillo...) so there will be no deviation for the course in those cases. However, for some of the more nebulous points, I think it is okay to give some flexibility. I do this with the idea that each person will design their own road that is individualized, but still keeps the spirit intact. I would invite each person to attempt to obtain the points in a way that is more Texanacious than convenient.
What I am trying to say is please don't take this flexibility as an easy way out for not exploring more of Texas that are off the beaten track...
Point #20: Texan Shopping
To obtain this point: One must have a Texan shopping experience.
- The best way to obtain this point is to go to San Marcos Outlet mall. It has 9 million visitors a year- that is roughly the size of the Dallas and Houston Metro areas together. It is also the 3rd most visited Texas site. However, the most important fact about San Marcos Outlet malls is that it was ranked the 3rd best place to shop in the US by The View (Whoopie and Barbara Walters are never wrong!).
Where people shop is always and interesting window into the kind of people that live in that area. Do people go to a Walmart SuperCenter, farmers market, flea market, a huge Galleria mall, or local boutique. Because there are so many interesting places in Texas to shop, I'll have to limit this a little bit.
Here are some other thoughts:
1) Dallas Farmer's Market- It's the largest farmer's market in Texas. Go to smell in the good vibes and the fresh produce.
2) South Congress Austin- Trendy and swanky collection of boutiques that have good prices and interesting people. Go on one of the first Thursdays for street entertainers and music.
3) Trader's Village (Houston and Grand Prairie)- They advertise themselves as a Texas-sized marketplace. It is the largest flea market in Texas (5000 vendors and 100 acres) and has a festival atmosphere over the weekend.
4) Grocery stores of note:
- Whole Foods in Austin- it started there and represents a lot of what makes Austin unique.
- HEB Kerrville- I've never been here, but HEB was started in Kerrville by CC Butt over 100 years ago.
5) Behemoth Mega Malls- Like the old saying that 'everything is bigger in Texas', the Galleria complexes in Houston and Dallas are perfect examples of this.
Enjoy Texas and if you are visiting...spend lots of money!
- The best way to obtain this point is to go to San Marcos Outlet mall. It has 9 million visitors a year- that is roughly the size of the Dallas and Houston Metro areas together. It is also the 3rd most visited Texas site. However, the most important fact about San Marcos Outlet malls is that it was ranked the 3rd best place to shop in the US by The View (Whoopie and Barbara Walters are never wrong!).
Where people shop is always and interesting window into the kind of people that live in that area. Do people go to a Walmart SuperCenter, farmers market, flea market, a huge Galleria mall, or local boutique. Because there are so many interesting places in Texas to shop, I'll have to limit this a little bit.
Here are some other thoughts:
1) Dallas Farmer's Market- It's the largest farmer's market in Texas. Go to smell in the good vibes and the fresh produce.
2) South Congress Austin- Trendy and swanky collection of boutiques that have good prices and interesting people. Go on one of the first Thursdays for street entertainers and music.
3) Trader's Village (Houston and Grand Prairie)- They advertise themselves as a Texas-sized marketplace. It is the largest flea market in Texas (5000 vendors and 100 acres) and has a festival atmosphere over the weekend.
4) Grocery stores of note:
- Whole Foods in Austin- it started there and represents a lot of what makes Austin unique.
- HEB Kerrville- I've never been here, but HEB was started in Kerrville by CC Butt over 100 years ago.
5) Behemoth Mega Malls- Like the old saying that 'everything is bigger in Texas', the Galleria complexes in Houston and Dallas are perfect examples of this.
Enjoy Texas and if you are visiting...spend lots of money!
Point #19- A Texan Holiday
To obtain this point: One must ring in the Holiday Season Texas style.
Go to a bookstore in Texas and you will find many interesting things about the local culture. One of those books is the Texas Night Before Christmas (there is also an accompanying coloring book to get the full experience). This just shows that everything that goes about in the 'international' (i.e. non-Texan) world can easily be Texified.
So...if you are going to be a Texan, you have to experience a Texan Holiday Season. In most places in Texas this does not include snow and reindeer, but artificial snow machines are quiet possible. Some places have palm trees and Santa drinking a margarita instead of egg nog. I can't believe that Santa can be very comfortable in that big heavy coat in the Texan heat.
Anyways, here are a couple solid ideas about some Texas Holiday traditions that can fulfill this point:
1) Dickens on the Strand- The power and influence of Galveston Island has come and gone, but it still has a strong historic place. This is a Victorian Celebration of Christmas with costumes, carols, and fun.
www.dickensonthestrand.com
2) Whistle Stop Christmas light (Cleburne)- 3 million light in an 11 acre park throughout December.
3) Holiday Trail of Lights (Jefferson)- Anyplace with a life sized gingerbread house is pretty unique. There is also an enchanted forest, lots of Christmas lights, and a candlelight tour of homes.
4) Holiday Parades- Throughout Texas there are Holiday parades starting with Houston's HEB parade and throughout the holiday season. Other good ones include: Neimann Marcus/Aldophus Children's Parade (Dallas), Cotton Bowl Parade (Dallas), Sun Bowl Parade (El Paso), Chuy's Christmas Parade (Austin), or the Ft. Worth Parade of Lights.
Enjoy Texas and Enjoy the holiday season...
Go to a bookstore in Texas and you will find many interesting things about the local culture. One of those books is the Texas Night Before Christmas (there is also an accompanying coloring book to get the full experience). This just shows that everything that goes about in the 'international' (i.e. non-Texan) world can easily be Texified.
So...if you are going to be a Texan, you have to experience a Texan Holiday Season. In most places in Texas this does not include snow and reindeer, but artificial snow machines are quiet possible. Some places have palm trees and Santa drinking a margarita instead of egg nog. I can't believe that Santa can be very comfortable in that big heavy coat in the Texan heat.
Anyways, here are a couple solid ideas about some Texas Holiday traditions that can fulfill this point:
1) Dickens on the Strand- The power and influence of Galveston Island has come and gone, but it still has a strong historic place. This is a Victorian Celebration of Christmas with costumes, carols, and fun.
www.dickensonthestrand.com
2) Whistle Stop Christmas light (Cleburne)- 3 million light in an 11 acre park throughout December.
3) Holiday Trail of Lights (Jefferson)- Anyplace with a life sized gingerbread house is pretty unique. There is also an enchanted forest, lots of Christmas lights, and a candlelight tour of homes.
4) Holiday Parades- Throughout Texas there are Holiday parades starting with Houston's HEB parade and throughout the holiday season. Other good ones include: Neimann Marcus/Aldophus Children's Parade (Dallas), Cotton Bowl Parade (Dallas), Sun Bowl Parade (El Paso), Chuy's Christmas Parade (Austin), or the Ft. Worth Parade of Lights.
Enjoy Texas and Enjoy the holiday season...
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