Welcome to Texas
Native Texans are a proud lot, but they would be the first to admit that the state has long been shaped by newcomers. In fact, the story of Texas is the story of migration. The Plains Indians poured in to follow the buffalo. Cabeza de Vaca, who washed ashore on Galveston Island in 1528, was in pursuit of land. The Spanish later rode north from what is now Mexico, and the Anglos headed west from the United States. Sam Houston showed up after he beat a congressman in Washington, D.C., with a cane; George H. W. Bush arrived to build a fortune in the West Texas oil fields after he graduated from Yale. Texas has always been a place where you can come and change the course of history.
That is as true today as it has always been. Since 2005 Texas has had the largest annual population growth of any state in the country, and if the migration rates from the previous decade continue, our population will double by 2050, to 54.4 million residents. As people flock here, Texas Monthly thinks it is high time to offer some guidance on what it means to be a Texan. So for those of you who are just joining us, welcome to Texas, and consider the following guide required reading about your new home. Trust us, your great-great-great-grandchildren will be glad you did.
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Where to Go First
Few things make Texans happier than a full tank of gas and an open highway. You’ve got a lot of ground to cover, but I propose you start with these four trips, each originating at Brady, the geographic center of Texas. You’ll be saying “y’all” and offering the hi sign in no time.
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They Weren’t Born Here
But they did get to Texas as fast as they could (which is to say, within the past five years). Meet eighteen recent transplants to the state’s three fastest-growing cities.
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Cover to Cover
If you’re new to the state, there’s a good chance that you snickeringly regard the phrase “Texas literature” as a contradiction in terms. Well, wise up, wise guy: Texans have been writing memorable books about their state for a long time. So if you have some questions about the city you’ve settled in, you’ve got a lot of options.
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The Playlist
Oh, the endless arguments about Texas music. But don’t feel the need to master it—no one really can. Instead, here are ten songs to help you hold your own at almost any party.
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Eat Well Wherever You Are
One thing is for sure—a Texan knows what’s for dinner and where to get it. But if you’re new to the state, check out these iconic restaurants.
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Where to Be a Tourist
A word about these four destinations: most native Texans visited them on their elementary school field trips. They are essential, so if you haven’t seen them yet, you’d better get cracking. Just remember, this is only the start.
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The Media Guide
To gain pop culture literacy, you could spend a long weekend taking in works produced for the big screen (Giant, Dazed and Confused) and the small box (Lonesome Dove, Friday Night Lights). But the quicker route would be an afternoon surfing YouTube. Search for the terms below, but don’t blame us if you end up falling down a Van Cliburn rabbit hole.
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Celebrate the Spurs (in Haiku)
Having grown up on the South Side of San Antonio, I know that the Spurs aren’t just a team, they’re a way of life. To show my support, I did what any fan would do: make like Bashō and pen five haikus, one for every NBA title.
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The Prettiest Li’l Drive You’ll Ever See
Head west on FM 170 through an astounding wilderness of shallow canyons, ancient riverbeds, and craggy limestone hills.
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How to Drive 85 Miles per Hour
The fastest road in America does not cross the Mojave Desert or the big sky country of Montana. Instead, it cuts through an unexceptional stretch of farmland southeast of Austin, where the posted speed limit on Texas Highway 130 jumps …
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Drive a Pickup Truck (or Don’t)
I promise driving a truck won’t help you create any ties to your new state’s rural roots, but spending one day on a city street, sharing it with trucks like mine, may help you understand that practicality doesn’t have much to do with being a Texan at all.
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How to Survive the Summer
When I was a teenager growing up in Wichita Falls, which is regularly hailed as one of the hottest cities in the state (and sometimes the country), I spent my summers smelling like roadkill. The moment I stepped outside my …
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Texas History in 601 Words
The story of Texas can be reduced to one sentence: somebody has something somebody else wants and will put up a fight to get. In the beginning, these fights were over land. The Spanish explorers came here in the 1500’s; …
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The Ultimate Texan
Born and bred in Houston, the 33-year-old tour de force is the world’s greatest performer—and arguably its most famous Texan.
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User’s Guide to Tacos
Texans LOVE their tacos. Versatile, portable, and quick to wolf down, tacos are made with either corn or flour tortillas. In their different styles, you can trace more than half a century of Texas’s Mexican-food history.
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BBQ for Breakfast
Saturday morning—yes, Saturday morning—is meant for feasting on brisket and sausage at Snow’s, in Lexington.
