When we celebrate the Texas Bicentennial, we will look back at 200 years of accomplishments. Our pioneer spirit of individualism, entrepreneurship and freedom has made us the best state in the nation to live, raise a family and make a living. From our victory at the battle of San Jacinto, to our rise as the world’s 13th largest economy and the national leader in job creation and economic strength—we have a lot to be proud of today, and we have the distinct privilege, honor, and responsibility to build the blueprint for an even brighter future tomorrow.
1836 – The Battle of San Jacinto: Texas wins Independence
1845 – Texas joins the Union as the 28th state
1876 – The current Texas Constitution takes effect
1876 – Texas A&M University founded
1883 – The University of Texas at Austin founded
1888 – Dedication of the present state capitol building in Austin
1901 – Spindletop, Texas’ first major oil well, breaks oil
1910 – First military air flight in the Wright Brothers plane at Fort Sam Houston
1923 – Texas Tech University founded
1936 – The Texas Centennial
1941 – The Texas Legislature creates the MD Anderson Cancer Center
1942 – Fort Hood officially opens
1962 – NASA opens Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston
1972 – Oil production averages three million barrels per day
1981 – Barnett Shale discovered
1998 – Texas overtakes New York as the second most populous state
2001 – Texas ranked top exporting state, and has held the #1 spot every year since
2005 – Victory for Texas at the U.S. Supreme Court: Protecting the right to display the Ten Commandments display at the state capitol building.
2008 – First Eagle Ford Shale well tapped
2009 – Texas leads the nation out of the recession
2013 – Texas unemployment rate remains below the national average for 7 consecutive years
2025 – Texas population projected to exceed 27 million
2036 – The Texas Bicentennial