What's the Big Deal? (Houston, Dallas: rent, theater, college)

[Nameless]

I live in Oklahoma and I'm curious as to why so many people seem to love Texas. I rarely go, I go to Six Flags in Dallas every couple years. But other than that, the only other place I've been in Borger (in the panhandell) as a child when my parents had friend's out there. I mean Texas has a lot going for it, lots of geography, attractions, good weather (some areas at least). But so many people seem to be obsessed about it. FYI: Oklahoma has the most changing terrain in the country. Doesn't get more exciting than that. Could someone explain to me what is just so great about Texas?

[irwin]

Nameless-

I grew up in Texas (born and raised), went to college at UT, graduated and moved out of the state. Growing up there I have to admit I wanted to see and experience other places. The whole “Texan” culture thing really turned me off. Since then I have lived both east and west. I know it sounds corny and even though at the time I dismissed it, yet people from Texas do have a bond. It certainly is not the land (what was the saying, “If I had a choice between hell and Texas, I would rent out Texas and live in hell.”). The weather is really pretty sorry. The land is generally flat and bland compared to most places in the country. The beaches in Texas are terrible. And the cities in Texas generally don’t have the cultural or unique city urban feel you get in other major cities in the country (although I still miss Austin).

All that being said, Texans still have a unique bond. Much of it is because of their shared history; even their shared agony! Part of the reason is because everyone in Texas is raised on their history and unique status as a former country (which I have come to appreciate). Part of it is just because, for all their faults, people from Texas do seem to have a sense of friendliness and openness that is different from other places. Texans may be naïve…hell; you can even call them ignorant. Yet, deep-down they really are nice people, which is different from many places in this country.

It is hard to understand, but it is kind of like meeting another American overseas and sharing a common bond of history/culture. Texans have that same bond. Even if they don’t agree with each other, whenever you meet a Texan out of state you know you have met a friend.

[LifeLongLearner]

Nameless,
I moved to outside of Dallas from NYC, (wasn't a planned move) and for the time that I was there I liked Texas. I can not say that I loved Texas. There were things about the state that I still hold dear, such as the wildflowers, the theater and arts, the feeling that when you live in some of the communities Texas Pride is as huge as the state is itself. When I left Tx to move to new england area of the USA, I found that what I didnt like about the place really had a negative impact on how I felt about the state in all. Where I live now, I can eat locally, walk to the center of my city, have pride in the education. It is all about the pride of where you live, and some Texans take that deep to their hearts. I found out that although I loved the bluebonnets, I did not love the politics.

[Trainwreck20]

Actually, Nameless, I do like OK, especially eastern OK. Beautiful country, but it just gets too cold for me there in the winter. Western OK reminds me of the TX panhandle, which is not my favorite place. Spent some time in Stillwater during my college years, can't say I saw much, since it was always after dark and we were always at Eskimo Joe's.....

To tell you the truth, a lot of it is a population thing. There are millions of people saying "we love it here!", and so people hear it and believe it. OK has fewer people, and they are smart enough to keep quiet :-).

[i_catch_tree_bass]

I have to correct a couple of yall, first off, I'm not sure what would qualify Oklahoma as having the most changing terrain in the country, and secondly, calling Texas mostly flat would be inaccurate. The Panhandle is mostly flat, but still has canyons (Caprock, Palo Duro, for example) and far west Texas has mountains and other remarkable rock formations. The Hill Country is anything but flat, with it's own dramatic scenery. East Texas is full of beautiful trees, and parts of it are somewhat hilly as well. Southern Texas flattens out as you near the Gulf (just like the other states on the Gulf), but opens up to beaches near Port Aransas as nice as you'll find this side of Florida, and from there you can drive an hour or two to breathtaking, undeveloped, remote beach areas on South Padre. None of this mentions North Central Texas with its gradual elevation changes, beautiful lakes and heavily treed Cross Timbers region.

Saying Texas' major cities like the culture or urban feel of other cities would also qualify as incorrect. Our major cities are just as urban as just about any other city in the country that's not called L.A., New York City, or Chicago, we're just a little more friendly. The "cowboy" culture you can find in Fort Worth (The Stockyards, The Amon Carter Museum) often overshadows some of the more conventional culture there (The Modern Art Museum: one of the oldest museums in the western U.S.; The Kimbell Art Museum: "widely regarded as one of the most outstanding modern public art-gallery facilities in the world"). San Antonio is likely the most culturally rich city in the state, helped by it's proximity to so much of the state's history. I'd start running out of room if I began telling you about Austin, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, even Amarillo.

On the topic of Texas history, that is likely the key to the pride Texans feel. Our heritage lies in the fact that Texans fought and overcame extremely long odds to achieve our independence. I'm sure some of yall will find this bland, but allow me to mention three battles briefly to provide some insight.

At the Alamo, a couple of hundred Texans hold off a few thousand Mexican soldiers from February 23, 1836 until finally succumbing on March 6, 1836.

At the Goliad Massacre on March 27, 1836, after Fannin and his 350 men had held off approximately 900 Mexican soldiers (the Texans losing about 60, Mexican forces losing about 200), the Texans negotiated terms or surrender after expending their supplies. The following day, Palm Sunday, Santa Anna ordered execution of the prisoners.

These two battles weighed heavily on the minds of Texans when April 21, 1836 rolled around. Around 750 Texans engaged battle with approximately 1500 Mexican soldiers. Fighting lasted less than twenty minutes. Eight Texans died, seventeen were wounded. 630 of the Mexican forces were killed, 208 were wounded, 730 were taken as prisoners.

Those are very brief descriptions of three of the most important points in Texas history, and events like that, as well as the beauty of the state that I've described, the friendliness of the people, and the uniqueness of our cities, is what creates Texas pride.

To answer your question, that is what's so great about Texas.

[neddy]

Well said Tree Bass!

[AlamoGirl]

I geuss the main difference is more people. i am from texas but i did live in Oklahoma for about 6 months 2 years ago.. Another main difference is, if you are part of the workforce... there is no State Income Tax on your paycheck... when i worked in Oklahoma for that 6 months, the state took like an extra 6-10% of my paycheck on top of what the federal gov't already took. that and there is just more people and more variety of things to do..and a variety of scenery you have the beaches to woodlands to desert, to the tropical south, to mountains in the west..

[momof2dfw]

WOOHOO!!! YEEHAW!!!!
Thank ya tree bass!!!!!!

100% born and breed Texan and right proud of it.

[momof2dfw]

I am always amazed myself whenever I hear someone say that Texas is flat, boring and nothing to do. What, did you spend your entire vacation locked up in some cell w/ no windows. There is so much to do in Texas and the diversity of the land it HUGE. I know of no other state in this entire country that has the vast differences w/in its own borders that we do. Like you said, the Panhandle w/ Palo Duro Canyon (AWESOME I might add) all the way to the Davis Mountains of West Texas, the Big Bend Country, the Hill Country, the Coastline, the Piney Woods of East Texas, the gentle rolling plains. Just read what this has to say from a site about the ecosystems:

"Ecological and biological diversity of Texas is enormous. The state contains barrier islands and coastal lowlands, large river floodplain forests, rolling plains and plateaus, forested hills, deserts, and a variety of aquatic habitats. There are 12 level III ecoregions and 56 level IV ecoregions in Texas and most continue into ecologically similar parts of adjacent states in the U.S. or Mexico."
http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/tx_eco.htm

[Nameless]

From what I've seen and researched, Texas is hardly flat at all. As is Oklahoma, but both states seem to get a rep for that. Texas has alot of changing terrain, but look at the size of the state. I mean it's 800 miles from Brownsville to the northwest corner of the panhandell and likewise from Beaumont and Port Arthur to El Paso.

I don't remember my sources, but I've heard many places (not just from locals) that Oklahoma has the most changing terrain and I believe it. I just spent a weekend in the "mountains" of Oklahoma. Yes, mountains. Nothing like the peaks of west Texas though. And Oklahoma is about 300 miles east to west, 200 north to south and 500 northwest to southeast. I'm not trying to say that Oklahoma is so much better or anything, but I'm from there so it's only natural.

I couldn't see myself anywhere in Texas accept far west Texas and the panhandell, I like my winter. And we barely get enough of that here. While there's lots to do in DFW, it's just grown way to big for me. Everytime I'm there I'm stuck in a traffic jam for over an hour. But really, most of the stuff down in Texas we have too, just on a smaller scale. Maybe alot of the reason I don't like Texas is because of the weahter, but let's be frank. It's important, after all, you have to deal with it every day.