TEXAS — A special day honoring the Lone Star State falls on February 1 of each year.

• State’s succession declared on February 1, 1861
• Texas Independence Day is March 2
• 8 changes in government in Texas

On February 1, 1861 a group of Texas delegates declared the state’s secession from the Union, but the state wasn’t officially granted succession until February 23, 1861. It is unclear why National Texas Day falls on February 1.

One way to celebrate National Texas Day is by learning more about the state.

Fun Facts:

• Texas is the only state to have the flags of 6 different nations fly over it. The flags are: 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, United States 1865 – present.
• There have been 8 changes in government in Texas.
• Texas Independence Day is March 2.
• The Texas State Capitol is the largest of any state capitol building in America.
• The stone used to construct the Texas State Capitol comes from Granite Mountain in Burnet County. The pink granite quarry sits 1 mile west of Marble Falls, Texas.
• The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is home to the world’s largest parking lot.
• Caddo Lake in East Texas is the state’s only natural lake.
• The first word spoken from the moon was “Houston” on July 20, 1969.
• More species of bats live in Texas than anywhere else in the country.
• El Paso is closer to Needles, California than Dallas.

Source: 50States.com, Legends of America