TEXAS

State of Texas

ORIGIN OF STATE NAME: Derived from the Caddo word tavshas, meaning "allies" or "friends." NICKNAME: The Lone Star State. CAPITAL: Austin. ENTERED UNION: 29 December 1845 (28th). SONG: "Texas, Our Texas." MOTTO: Friendship. FLAG: At the hoist is a vertical bar of blue with a single white five-pointed star; two horizontal bars of white and red cover the remainder of the flag. OFFICIAL SEAL: A five-pointed star encircled by olive and live oak branches, with the words "The State of Texas" surrounding. BIRD: Mockingbird. FISH: Guadalupe bass. FLOWER: Bluebonnet. TREE: Pecan. PLANT: Prickly pear cactus. GRASS: Sideoats grama. DISH: Chili. GEM: Topaz. STONE: Petrified palmwood. SEASHELL: Lightning whelk. SPORT: Rodeo. LEGAL HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Confederate Heroes Day, 19 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington's Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Texas Independence Day, 2 March: San Jacinto Day, 21 April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Emancipation Day, 19 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Lyndon B. Johnson's Birthday, 27 August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; General Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TIME: 6 AM CST = noon GMT.