Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?" was the title of a 1972 speech by Edward Norton Lorenz (1917-2008) before the American Academy for the…
The city of Lubbock is part of an area that is the largest cotton-growing region in the world. By about 1960, Lubbock had acquired the slogan "Cottonest City in the World." The slogan is…
The White Carnation (vodka, peach schnapps, and orange juice) was the official drink of the Belmont Stakes from the 1980s until 1997, when it was replaced by the Belmont Breeze. The carnation is…
The Belmont Breeze was the official drink of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of racing's triple crown that takes place each June in Belmont Park. The drink -- Belmont's equivalent to…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: PastramiPastrami is a popular delicatessen meat made from chiefly red meat. PreparationThe raw meat is salted (through immersion in a thick brine), then partly…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Gefilte fishGefilte fish (Yiddish: געפֿילטע פֿיש) (English: filled fish) are poached fish patties or balls made from a mixture of ground deboned…
"Suicide Hill" is any hill the someone goes down (sledding, skating, etc.) that could possibly end in disaster, such as getting run over by a car in the street. New York City has several…
Texas sheet cake includes cocoa and white Texas sheet cake (or "white sheet cake") does not. The white Texas sheet cake recipe may have originated (or at least was popularized) in The…
Brooklyn Heights is often called "America's first suburb." In the 19th century, Manhattan (New York) and Brooklyn were separate cities and not boroughs of the same city (after the…
"Grammstanding" is a political term that's derived from the name of former Texas Senator Phill Gramm (1985-2002). Although there is a citation of "grammstanding" from 1984,…
"Owners' box" (or "owner's box") is the nickname for the gallery of the Texas House. In 2003, lobbyists sat there and the name "owners' box" was a sly…
The "Welcome to Texas" road signs at every entry point to the state show the Texas state flag and, below that, this slogan: "Drive Friendly -- The Texas Way." The state motto is…
Jane Herbert Wilkinson Long (1798-1880) was called the "mother of Texas" by at least 1894. Long came to Texas in 1819 and was one of the first Anglo women (although not the very first) in…
The "father of Texas" is Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836) and "Father of Texas Day" is his November 3rd birthday. Austin helped bring people to the city of Waterloo -- later…
The University of Texas at Austin has six red-roofed campus buildings on the South Mall that are commonly referred to as the "six pack." Batts, Mezes, and Benedict are on the east side;…
Texas is known for its chicken fried steak, but does anyone really make chicken fried salmon? There appears to be at least one recipe on the internet for "Cayenne Chicken-Fried Salmon." A…
The city of Hondo is a small place that people often drive past. In 1930, a road sign was put up: "THIS IS GOD'S COUNTRY. DON'T DRIVE THRU IT LIKE HELL." The sign was…
"Manito" is Spanish, short for "hermanito" ("little brother"). The Spanish-speaking residents of New Mexico were called "manitos" by at least the 1950s.…
The Washington Senators baseball team moved to Arlington, Texas in 1972 and became the Texas Rangers (named after the famous law enforcement agency). By April 1972, the Texas baseball team with the…
Texas has many people of Mexican descent, but there are also increasing numbers of Guatemalans in Texas. According to the post below, Guatemalans in far west Texas are called "blue tarp…