Texas

…the first 7-Eleven store was in Dallas, Texas!

The first convenience store in the United States, the 7-Eleven chain, now in 18 countries, started in Dallas. It all began when an employee of Southland Ice Company in Dallas started selling milk, eggs and bread from the ice dock. Soon, the convenience store was born and became known as 7-Eleven to reflect their hours of operation.

Here are a few more little-known facts about Texas.

	Texas is the only U.S. state to have the flags of six different nations fly over it: Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States and the United States. Although six flags have flown over Texas, there have been eight changes of government: 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 and United States 1865-present.
	Throughout its 45 year history, “Six Flags Over Texas” has built a solid reputation as an innovator in the theme park industry offering first class entertainment to generations of families. “Six Flags Over Texas” is a major amusement park and was the first park of the Six Flags chain. The park's name stands for the six different nations' flags which have governed Texas.
	Texas owes its name to the Hasnai Caddo tribe and to the Spaniards. During the Spanish exploration of Texas in the 1540s, the Spaniards met the Hasnai Caddo tribe in present-day East Texas. The Native Americans used the word “tayshas” which means "friends" or "allies." In Spanish, the translation came out as “tejas.” Eventually, “Tejas” became Texas.
	Sam Houston, arguably the most famous Texan, was actually born in Virginia. Houston served as governor of Tennessee before coming to Texas. Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in 1837. In 1839 the capital was moved to its current location, Austin.
	Located on the Sixth Floor of the former Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, lies what's believed to be the location where John F. Kennedy's assassin fired upon the presidential motorcade. Today, it is a museum dedicated to the life of Kennedy.
	The Alamo is located in San Antonio, Texas. It is where Texas defenders fell to Mexican General Santa Anna and the phrase “Remember the Alamo” originated. The Alamo is considered the cradle of Texas liberty and the state's most popular historic site.
	Texas is popularly known as the Lone Star State, in reference to the state flag. The flag displays a single, five-point white star on a field of blue with an upper white horizontal stripe and a lower red horizontal stripe. As with the flag of the United States, the blue stands for loyalty, the white represents strength, and the red is for bravery.
	Texas is the second largest U.S. state in land mass and the third largest in population. It possesses three of the top ten most populous cities in the U.S.: Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. More land is farmed in Texas than in any other U.S. state.
	"Don't Mess with Texas" is the state slogan -- a litter prevention message to promote tidy roadsides.
	“Houston” was the first word spoken from the Moon, on July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong reported the lunar module's safe landing with the words: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
	The world’s first frozen margarita machine was invented on May 11, 1971 by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez. Martinez modified a soft-serve ice cream machine into the first frozen margarita machine, which created a mass-produced and consistent beverage. The young restaurant owner was inspired by a frozen drink machine he saw at a local convenience store.
	Jalapeno Chili (Chile) peppers jelly originated in Lake Jackson, Texas and were first marketed in 1978. Jalapenos are very hot, with an immediate bite and are sold canned, sliced, and pickled.
	While the lineage is Mexican, fajitas are actually a Texan specialty, dating back to the late 1930's. Fajita comes from the Spanish word "faja" which translates literally to "sashes" and is a reference to the type of meat typically used for fajitas which is skirt steak. The skirt steak cut, considered a "less desirable cut," would be given to the Hispanic ranch hands in lieu of partial payment for work. The meals they prepared were known as "tacos de fajitas."
	Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City. At last count, Dallas-Fort Worth claims more than 7,000 restaurants.
	The first integrated circuit, which became the microchip, was invented in 1958 at Texas Instruments. Texas Instruments and one of their engineers, Jack Kilby, received the first U.S. patent for miniaturized electronic circuits. Robert Noyce and the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation later received a U.S. patent for a silicon based integrated circuit. The two companies wisely decided to cross license their technologies after several years of legal battles, creating a global market now worth about U.S.$1 trillion a year.
	Dubbed the “Silicon Prairie,” Dallas is among the largest high technology employment centers in the U.S., employing more than 200,000 workers. The Telecom Corridor along State Highway 190 and U.S. 75 in a Dallas suburb is home to more than 600 high-tech companies.
	Dozens of Forbes 500 companies are located in Texas including Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, Dell, SBC Communications, Sysco, J.C. Penney, EDS and Texas Instruments.
	Dallas ranks among the top cities in the nation in convention and meeting attendees, with more than 3.8 million people attending more than 3,600 conventions and leaving more than US $4.2 billion behind.
For more information about life in Dallas, click here. For more information about life in Houston, click here.

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