Posted in Texas December 12, 2015 by

11 Shocking Things You Had No Idea Happened In Texas

Just when I thought I knew every interesting fact about Texas, I’ve been proven wrong yet again. Could our state’s history possibly be any more captivating? Make sure you’re sitting down for this one – here’s a list of 11 unbelievable things that have happened here in Texas.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate
1) We abolished the famous "last meal" for death row inmates after Lawrence Brewer ordered a 5-course meal only to turn it down once it was brought to him.
Flickr/instantvantage
Lawrence Russel Brewer ordered two chicken-fried steaks, a triple cheeseburger with bacon, a bowl of fried okra, a pound of barbecue, three fajitas, and a meat-lover's pizza - only to decide he wasn't hungry for any of it.
2) The town of Blowout got its name when lightening struck a cave and detonated 1,000+ tons of ammonia-rich bat droppings.
Flickr/snakeyes
This town sure started off with a bang.
3) In 1997, the town of Kingsville replaced the word "hello" with "heaven-o" so as to avoid the word "hell."
Flickr/airflore
Residents said they didn't want to contaminate a greeting that's supposed to be positive with the negativity the word "hell" evokes.
4) In 1990, a 200-person trailer park became a city just to open a liquor store.
Flickr/anemoneprojectors
Mobile City was the only place in Rockwall county where alcohol could be purchased outside of a restaurant until 2007.
5) In 1920, the UT football team ate their mascot at a banquet because they didn't have enough money to support him anymore.
Flickr/fiftypercentchanceofrain
Poor Bevo.
6) The fastest speeding ticket ever issued was to a Texas driver going 242 MPH in a 75 MPH zone.
Flickr/jsmjr
That's just a tad bit too fast, don't you think?
7) In 1986, a beer-drinking goat named Clay Henry was elected mayor of Lajitas.
Flickr/begotka
Tourists came from all corners of the state to see the spectacle and even give him a bottle themselves. Bottoms up!
8) This didn't happen in Texas, but a Texas man once pushed a peanut to the 14,000 foot summit of Pike's Peak in Colorado - for all of $50.
Flickr/captspaulding
9) In 1963, Janis Joplin was voted "Ugliest Man on Campus" at the University of Texas.
Flickr/fabiotalamonti
10) A city originally named Clark renamed itself to DISH, Texas in order to receive free DISH satellite service for 10 years.
Flickr/trainman
11) Big Ben of the Big Bend?
Flickr/zigzaglens
This hasn't happened yet, but an enormous clock that will keep time for 10,000 years is being built inside a mountain in West Texas. The clock will tick every year and a cuckoo bird will emerge every millennium.

I can’t believe these things have happened right here in our state! I’m curious – what other crazy things have happened in Texas? Let me know in the comments below!