Once dominated by the Missions, Texas ranching shaped Texas, its history and environment.

The eight most notable Texas Ranches have played important roles in Texas History.

The remnants of the La Belle, which sank more than 300 years ago, were discovered in the summer of 1995 in Matagorda Bay.

The Sant Cruz mission has been called the "The Lost Mission of Texas." It's exact location was not known until 1993 when the mission site was found in an alfalfa field east of the town of Menard, Texas.

The town of Menard, today a quiet West Texas town with an economy that relies on ranching and oil, witnessed important historical changes that defined West Texas.

The First Thanksgiving may have been observed in Texas on April 30, 1598 by Spanish explorer Juan de Onate and members of his expedition.

Cattle drives started in earnest after the Civil War.

Early-day Texas travelers had only four choices when they needed to get from one town to another walk, ride a horse, bounce along in a buggy or take a stagecoach.

The Texas Rangers have a long and unique history in Texas.

One of the ethnic groups with the largest impact on Texas has been the Germans.

For Texans, the 20th century began on January 10, when oil was discovered at Spindletop.

Irish immigrants played a large part in early Texas history.

The physiographic variety in Texas is controlled by the varied rocks and structures that underlie and crop out across the state. The fascinating geologic history of Texas is recorded in the rocks.

The population of Texas has increased during every decade since Texas became a state, with recent population growth exceeding that of all other states in the nation.

The Armadillo World Headquarters was all about music, a shared tolerance for marijuana, psychedelic drugs, and cold beer.