In June 1954, a father and son strolled along a cliff, surveying the land and breathing in the fresh sea air. As fathers often do, this man shared stories of years gone by, and the son listened and was transported back to a day when the beach was not so calm. The father spoke of the events of another June morning on that very same cliff where the 2nd Ranger Battalion of the U.S. Army set foot on French soil.

The title of Audie Murphy's famous autobiography, To Hell and Back, referred to his experiences in World War II, but it could just as easily have been about his childhood.

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove to books like Horseman, Pass By and The Last Kind Words Saloon, America has seen the Old West through the eyes of Larry McMurtry. McMurtry’s lifelong pursuit began with just an inheritance of a small sack of books.

Resting 20 miles south of the City of Austin sits a three-roomed house in the quaint town of Kyle, Texas, where a small child and her five-membered family moved as the result of a tragic death. This now-motherless child, Katherine Anne Porter, filled her days in this home with dancing, singing, drawing, and playing piano, experimenting with finding her given talents.

Roy “the Judge” Hofheinz, former mayor of Houston and the man who built the Astrodome, was an extravagant, boisterous personality, a man whose life accomplishments matched perfectly his outsized character and quirky genius.

From the top of the panhandle to the tip of Texas, from the plains in the West to the pines in the East, there are opportunities, wherever you are, to catch a glimpse of the wild cats of Texas.

Though this company began by selling butter, it quickly evolved into the beloved Texas staple it is today. The Kruse family has helped Blue Bell deliver into stores and homes across the state for over a century, bringing homemade goodness to all. They have led the company through hardship and much success and Blue Bell continues to thrive in the Lone Star State.

Born in Refugio, Texas, in 1947 as the youngest of six children, Lynn Nolan Ryan was no stranger to hard work and hand-me-downs. At six months old, his father, Lynn Nolan Ryan, Sr., who worked for Hastings Oil Field was transferred to Alvin, Texas, where Ryan spent the rest of his childhood and much of his adult life.

“As I exited the hatch, I understood that I was getting an opportunity that few people ever have – to see with my own eyes an unobstructed view of Earth from space, to view the beauty and majesty of God's creation in an awe-inspiring panorama.

Texans have a reputation for being many things: proud, friendly, and perhaps a bit brash, just to name just a few! They also are known to be extremely resourceful, as dozens of important  discoveries have been made right here in Texas. From the first frozen margarita machine to Liquid Paper, to the original handheld electronic calculator, here are some of the stories behind just a few life-changing inventions!

The story of the last cowboy has been written, a movie was made, but out in a rolling pasture near Hamilton, Texas, the final scene has not been cut; the last word is still unwritten.

There is something called salesmanship, that when done really well, is a bit more like showmanship; it is the difference between convincing someone to buy something and allowing them to experience something. There is a broad contrast between having a press pass, which allows someone to view a special celebrity from behind the curtain, and being allowed the experience of feeling important in one's own right.

A venture mostly ignored before her involvement, the plight of the illegitimate, the orphaned, and the homeless child became Edna Gladney's lifelong pursuit—a pursuit that would eventually change the face of Texas and America as well.

While most can spot the iconic Texas flag from miles away, not all know the meaning behind for which it stands. From the symbolic colors and honorable lone star, to the history behind the idea, there is much to learn and respect about the flag that represents the character, qualities, and culture of Texas!

In a state as big as Texas it is really not surprising that there are some mighty peculiar town names among the thousands of communities that make up this state! What is surprising however, are the mundane reasons for many of the odd-sounding choices. Of course there are also some very strange reasons for some very strange names!