Silicon Prairie
Texas has many high tech industries. The nickname "Silicon Prairie" (a take-off of California's "Silicon Valley") dates from 1979, and it was much imitated by other cities…
Silicone City (Houston nickname)
"Silicone City" is a nickname for Houston that first appeared in a lengthy story in the August 1995 Texas Monthly. The silicone breast implant was invented in Houston in 1962 by doctors…
Silver Alert 〈“Amber Alert” for seniors〉
The "Silver Alert" was signed into Texas law in 2007 to protect elderly people with dementia-related diseases (such as Alzheimer's) who wander away from their usual residences. The…
Silver Boot Series (Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers)
The "Silver Boot Series" (formally called the "Lone Star Series") is when baseball's Houston Astros play the Texas Rangers. The winner of the series receives the Silver…
Sing Sing on the Brazos (Texas A&M nickname)
Sing Sing is a famous prison in upstate New York. Life at Texas A&M University (near the Brazos River) was compared to this prison by at least 1937. The "Sing Sing on the Brazos"…
Sinkhole de Mayo (May 2008 sinkhole in Daisetta)
A huge sinkhole was discovered in Daisetta (Liberty County) on May 8, 2008. Although the sinkhole was not discovered on May 5th --
Sissy Burger (hamburger with mayonnaise and without ketchup or mustard)
A "Sissy Burger" is a hamburger with mayonnaise and without ketchup or mustard. Dirty Martin's (established in Austin, Texas in 1926) serves a "Sissy Burger" with…
Six Flags Over Jerry (Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington)
Cowboys Stadium (the new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys football team, located in Arlington, TX) was completed in May 2009. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' stadium has been compared to…
Six Flags Over Texas
Texas has been under six flags -- Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America, and United States of America. The city of Laredo, Texas claims seven flags -- one for the…
Six Pack (UT-Austin campus buildings)
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;…
Six Shooter Junction
A "six-shooter" is a revolver capable of firing six shots before reloading. The Texas towns of Harlingen, Hempstead, Kenedy, and Waco have all claimed to be known as "Six Shooter…
Six-Man Football
Six-man football allows smaller schools that can't field 11-man teams to still play the game. Six-man football was invented by Stephen Epler in Nebraska, but the game really took root in…
Six-Shooter Coffee
"Six-shooter coffee" was a popular drink at the president's LBJ Ranch in the 1960s, but the term is seldom used today. Legends of America slang pageSix-shooter Coffee -- Strong…
Skunk Egg (onion)
"Skunk eggs" were what cowboys called onions. The term "skunk egg" appears in many collections of cowboy lingo after 1950, but pre-1950 citations are rare. 10 May 1943, Ogden…
Slacker Capital of the World (Austin nickname)
Richard Linklater's 1991 film Slacker showed one day in the life of the offbeat characters of Austin, Texas. A "slacker" is someone who does not follow the corporate track with his…
Sladeo (Slalom + Rodeo)
"Sladeo" is a San Marcos event that combines slalom racing and rodeo in paddling (kayaking and canoeing). The name "sladeo" has not yet been used outside the San Marcos event.…
Slang Jang (Slangjang)
"Slang Jang" (or "slangjang") is a dish from Honey Grove in Northeast Texas. The ingredients of this hot pepper relish vary, but tend to include oysters, onions, pickles,…
Slaw Dog (Slaw Dawg; Slawdog; Slawdawg)
A "slaw dog" ("slaw dawg" for the Southern pronunciation, also sometimes written as one word) is simply cole slaw placed on a hot dog. It cannot be known who first put cole slaw…
Sloppy Nachos & Sloppy Joes
Nachos are a well-known snack, but what are Sloppy Nachos? "Sloppy Joe" was the name of a famous bar in Havana, Cuba in the 1920s. After Prohibition ended in the United States, the bar…
Small drinking village with a large fishing problem (San Leon & Flour Bluff unofficial slogan)
In the late 1990s, Chatham (MA) issued this bumper sticker slogan: "Chatham, a quaint drinking village with a fishing problem." The slogan has been used for United States coastal cities…