Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases.
J. R. Ewing (played by actor Larry Hagman) gave some memorable lines in the television series Dallas, such as: "A conscience is like a boat or a car. If you feel you need one, rent it."…
When the Albany legislature appears to do nothing, legislators sometimes quote William Shakespeare and claim that the legislative session is all "much ado about nothing." The television…
The city of Kerrville in the Texas Hill Country has many parks, fairs, and festivals. In 1922, Kerrville promoted itself as the "Heart of the Hills," and the slogan is still well known…
The city of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country (central Texas) is a popular tourist town. Fredericksburg's Germanic heritage is evident in its architecture, and there are many bed and…
The city of McAllen in the Rio Grande Valley has long been known as the "City of Palms." A McAllen slogan (dating from at least 2007) is "Jewel of the Valley Crown," enphasizing…
"Jewel of the Forest" is the slogan of Jasper, a city in Jasper County in East Texas. Jasper is located in the Piney Woods area of Texas, and the slogan (used since at least 1953) has…
The city of San Marcos is located in the I-35 corridor between the cities of Austin and San Antonio. San Marcos has large outlet malls, Texas State University-San Marcos, and the San Marcos River…
The Highland Lakes of central Texas are the following six lakes: Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, and Lake Austin. Water sports are popular on the lakes and…
The Santa Fe Railroad Building (13 stories) at 900 South Polk in Amarillo was built in 1930 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has been called "the beacon"…
A dumb lawyer, on the verge of asking a stupid question, interrupted himself and said: "Your Honor, I'd like to strike the next question." There's nothing particularly Texan…
Palo Duro Canyon is located in the Panhandle of Texas, near Amarillo. Palo Duro has been called "The Grand Canyon of Texas" since at least 1934, and is sometimes called "little Grand…
"G-Town" is a nickname for Galveston (both the city and the island). "G-Town" probably borrows from Houston's nickname of "H-Town," a hip-hop nickname from about…
"Houston Lite" (or "Baby Houston") is a nickname for any city that attempts to grow into a large one, with tall skyscrapers like Houston has. Both "Houston Lite" and…
"Land Between the Lakes" is a slogan of Steiner Ranch, a development between Lake Austin and Lake Travis, a few miles north of the city of Austin. Steiner Ranch features the University of…
Fort Worth's Colonial Country Club holds an annual PGA event and is recognized as one of America's best golf courses. Ben Hogan (1912-1997) lived in Fort Worth and won the Colonial five…
'Fun Central" is the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau city slogan, created in 2002. Arlington boasts "fun" attractions such as Six Flags Over Texas (the original Six…
Whole Foods started its first store in Austin, Texas, in 1980. The food retailer is known for its organic foods -- and high prices. The nickname "Whole Wallet" was applied by at least…
The city of Raymondville is a small city in Willacy County in South Texas. Since at least 2006 (popularized by an October 2006 Texas Observer article), an unofficial nickname for Raymondville has…
The Austin American-Statesman is the daily newspaper for the capital city of Austin. The Democratic Statesman dates back to 1871, and today's newspaper is called "The Statesman" for…
The Austin American-Statesman is the daily newspaper for the capital city of Austin. The Democratic Statesman dates back to 1871, and today's newspaper is called "The Statesman" for…