10 Things You Didn't Know About Texas

Texas is the second-largest state by both area and population, but its quirks go far beyond sheer size. Here are ten surprising facts about the Lone Star State that even most Texans don't know.

1. The World's Largest Urban Bat Colony lives under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin. Every summer evening, roughly 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats spiral into the sky — a spectacle that draws thousands of spectators.

2. Texas Was Its Own Country for nearly a decade. The Republic of Texas existed from 1836 to 1845 before joining the United States as the 28th state.

3. King Ranch Is Bigger Than Rhode Island. Spanning 825,000 acres in South Texas, King Ranch is one of the largest ranches in the world — larger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

4. Dr Pepper Was Invented in Texas. The iconic soft drink was created in Waco in 1885, making it older than Coca-Cola by a full year.

5. Texas Has Its Own Power Grid. ERCOT operates independently from the two major US grids, making Texas the only state with its own standalone electrical grid.

6. The State Capitol Is Taller Than the US Capitol. The Texas State Capitol in Austin stands 14 feet taller than the one in Washington, D.C. — intentionally, of course.

7. Texas Has More Counties Than Any Other State — 254 in total. Georgia comes in second with 159.

8. Bracken Cave Hosts 20 Million Bats. While the Congress Avenue colony is famous, Bracken Cave near San Antonio holds the world's largest bat colony with an estimated 20 million bats.

9. The Town of Marfa Is an Art Destination. This tiny West Texas town (population ~1,700) has become a world-class contemporary art hub, anchored by the Chinati Foundation.

10. Texas Produces More Wind Energy Than Most Countries. If Texas were its own country, it would rank fifth in the world for wind power generation.