History has molded Texas 鈥� literally 鈥� to form today's unmistakable shape with its sharp angles of the Panhandle, sweeping curves along Mexico and jagged edges near the Red River and the Gulf.
Now, nearly 170 years since the state's borders were defined, we eat Texas-shaped waffles, swim in Texas-shaped pools and sleep on Texas-shaped pillows.
It's something Texans take pride in and wear as a badge of honor. Plain and simple.
It began with defiance
Like everything else, there鈥檚 a story behind how Texas got its unique shape.
Let's start on Oct. 2, 1835 鈥� back when Texas was still a part of Mexico. That's when rebels, who came to be known as Texians, refused to return a small, brass cannon to Mexico.
The phrase "" should ring a bell.
Their defiance sparked the 鈥� considered to be the first of the Texas Revolution.
Exactly five months later, from Mexico.
The existed for nine years until it on Dec. 29, 1845.
Texas was even bigger back then. It used to cover the entire state plus portions of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
Today's Texas shape was largely defined by the . In that deal, Texas, which was , was offered $10 million by the U.S. government in exchange for giving up all land north and west of its modern-day boundaries.
Since then, there were into smaller states 鈥� but none of them were successful.
'This is a foreign country'
Watch a short video from The History Channel on how Texas got its shape and what it means to people who call it home.
Find Texas just about anywhere
Texans aren't shy about how they feel about their state. And it turns out that things large and small can be reproduced 鈥� and Texans would argue made better 鈥� in the shape of Texas. Below are just a few examples.
If you want to contribute your Texas-shaped treasure, tweet us at .
You can spot the shape of Texas...
In a crop field
Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls sure looks good from above:
— Texas Humor (@TexasHumor)
Circle N Maze designed their maze into the shape of Texas w/ the words "Texas Strong" 4 the victims of Harvey.
— Texas Corn Producers (@TexasCorn)
At a swimming pool
Beautiful day in Houston. View from my room. The lazy river in the shape of Texas is pretty amazing.
— Frank Frangie (@Frank_Frangie)
The Historic Texas Pool in is celebrating its 56th summer season.
— The Texas Pool (@texaspoolplano)
On the roof
I will own a house like this one day RT @Awe_chitecture: The House shaped like Texas.
— Josh Abbo纽纽 (@joshabbottband)
In the bathroom
This place is the real deal. Fried pickles, brisket AND a Texas-shaped sink.
— Andrea Frankenfeld (@andreafrank)
As the letter "O"
As a juicy steak
What could possibly be more wonderful than a Texas-shaped steak?
— Night Hawk Foods (@NightHawkFoods)
In a cup of coffee
On a Texan's body forever
As a bottle of tequila
On the grill
Only in Texas would the grill at the rest area be the shape of.. we'll of course, TEXAS
— YO$Hii (@96Adolescent96)
In a bag of H-E-B chips
You guys! visited my house! I can tell he loves me because the Texas-shaped tortilla chips are from !
— Jeff Kessinger 馃樂 (@JKessingerSGF)
During the total solar eclipse
No glasses so made a pinhole camera in the shape of . Low tech but high impact! Also saw crescent in shadow of tree leaves
— Harshal S Chhaya (@hschhaya)
In a glass of sweet tea
Obsessed with ice cubes 馃槂 can't have my any other way now 鉂わ笍 馃槒
— JennaSue Jerrica (@JennaSueJerrica)
