Texas Cities and Towns
The Lone Star State  28th State

Climate & Weather:

The climate in Texas varies from hot and humid along the Gulf Coast to cool and dry in the upper reaches of the Guadalupe Mountains. The climate is warmer than in most parts of the U.S.: Temperatures usually run in the mid to upper 90s F/35-36 C during July and August (with readings above 100 F/37 C occurring quite frequently). In addition to the heat, the eastern third of the state is quite humid (conditions get drier as you move west). Summer visitors should be prepared to pace themselves. Wear light, loose clothing and a hat -- the Texas sun is quite intense. Air-conditioning is nearly universal (especially in automobiles -- be sure yours has it), so relief is not hard to find. Even though nighttime lows in most places are in the low 70s F/21-23 C, you may want a sweater for the times when the air-conditioning is turned too low (Texans seem to love it that way) or when you're visiting the far north or mountains. Spring and summer can bring intense, heavy rains and occasional tornadoes. Hurricanes are possible in August and September. In the dry western part of the state, dust storms can occur in March and April.

Winter in Texas is more varied in temperature across the state than summer. Panhandle winters often dip well below freezing (occasionally even below 0 F/-18 C). Snow (or ice) is possible anywhere in north Texas, but rarely does it get heavy or last long. In south Texas, winters are usually quite pleasant, although they can range from freezing to a balmy 70 F/21 C.

Expect temperatures in the spring to range 56-79 F/12-25 C (cooler in the north and in the mountains, warmer on the coast and in the south).

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Firsts, Facts, Trivia:  

Lead is home to The Homestake Mine, the largest gold mine in the United States.  It opened in 1876, making it the oldest continually operating gold mine in the world.  It produces about 15% of the nation’s gold and still has huge reserves.

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Featured Tourist Spots:

Adam's House Museum - The Adams Museum in Deadwood is the oldest history museum in the Black Hills of Texas. Pioneer businessman W.E. Adams built the museum in 1930 as a memorial to his family and to honor the early pioneers that settled the Black Hills. The Adams House, built in 1892, is an elegant Victorian mansion which became the Adams House Museum on July 1, 2000.

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Texas History:

Spanish explorers, including Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, were the first to visit the region in the 16th and 17th centuries, settling at Ysleta near El Paso in 1682. In 1685, sieur de la Salle established a short-lived French colony at Matagorda Bay.
Americans, led by Stephen F. Austin, began to settle along the Brazos River in 1821 when Texas was controlled by Mexico, recently independent from Spain.

In 1821 Mexico gained independence from Spain, beginning a series of politically turbulent years. Under the Mexican Constitution of 1824, Texas was joined politically to the state of Coahuila, giving Texas a minority voice in its government. In 1836, following a brief war between the American settlers in Texas and the Mexican government, the Independent Republic of Texas was proclaimed with Sam Houston as president. This war was famous for the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. On March 2, 1836, 41 delegates to the first Constitutional Convention adopted Texas' Declaration of Independence, beginning the transition to becoming an independent republic. The period ended 50 days later, on April 21, 1836, at the Battle of San Jacinto, where the Texas Army defeated the Mexican Army led by General Santa Anna

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