Junction High School - Golden Eagle Yearbook (Junction, TX)

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Tidbits and fun facts for those in pursuit of trivia. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was born on Feb 24, 1885, in Fredericksburg, Texas. He graduated seventh in his class from the United States Naval Academy in 1905. In 1938, he was promoted to rear admiral. At the outbreak of World War II, President Roosevelt chose Nimitz to be Commander-in- Chief of the Pacific Fleet. This appointment made Nimitz one of the most powerful commanders up to that time. Sam Houston was born in Virginia in 1793. At age 36 he married an Indian woman and later moved to Texas as an agent of the Cherokee tribe. He was elected major general of the Texas army and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836. Following his victory over Santa Anna, he became the first president of the Republic of Texas. He later served 14 years as a U.S. Senator from Texas. The Longhorn evolved into their own tough breed in South Texas when they were abandoned to run wild when Texas won its independence from Mexico. The Longhorns were the first cattle raised in Texas for breeding and selling. They were transported to the northern slaughter houses via the famous Chisholm trail to Kansas. The state herd of longhorns is at Fort Griffin, on the Brazos River. ☆ ☆ ☆ The Astrodome, called the eighth wonder of the world, is so immense — once water condensed in The King Ranch began its the top forming clouds, and exciting organization in 1852 when Captain Richard King acquired 54,000 acres of grassland on Santa Gertrudis Creek in South Texas. It is now international, with the Texas ranch alone covering more than 1,500 square miles. The King Ranch has always set and maintained the highest standards for farming, cattle and horse breeding and all other facets of ranching. Their extensive scientific research program developed the Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle, which is the only recognized variety of purebred cattle developed in America.

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For several decades, Americans have watched with anticipation as astronauts reported to Mission Control in Houston. TEXAS Jhina-' Much ado about Everything The Astrodome, eighth wonder of the world,” was the first fully air-conditioned, enclosed, domed, multipurpose- sports stadium in the world. The stadium seats 66,000 and could hold an 18-story building. The Astrodome is the home of the Houston Oilers football team and the Houston Astros baseball team. ☆ ☆ ☆ The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, was formed in 1958 by the National Aeronautics and Space Act signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Manned Spacecraft Center is an astronautical complex of more than 1,000 acres located near Houston. It is here that the spacecraft that have been to the moon and back are displayed. ☆ ☆ ☆ The Texas Flag was adopted by the Congress of the Republic of Texas on Jan. 25, 1839. Texas became known as the Lone Star State because of the single star on the flag. ☆ ☆ ☆ Chili became the state dish of Texas in 1977. Chili is similar to stew cooked with a variety of ingredients, ranging from jackrabbit, rattlesnake and pork to jalapenos, frijoles, cayenne and comino. Texans pride themselves on their chili recipes and host many chili cook-offs to show off their culinary expertise.

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'Went' Jrtrias... Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908-1973), was the 36th President of the United States (1963-1969) and a native Texan from Stonewall. Johnson's sweeping social reforms earned his administration the nickname, The Great Society. Johnson assumed the presidency in 1963 after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22. The Tyler Rose from Tyler, in East Texas, represents more than 375 varieties of roses grown in Tyler. Tyler supplies roses for half the nation, with more than 15 million rose bushes grown commercially every year. Mesquite, Prosopis juliflora, is a hearty tree well known in Texas for its survival in the dryest places. Not all ranchers and farmers appreciate this shade tree, as the tree tends to rob the soil of its nutrients and water. Its beans have been used as a coffee substitute. The Texas State Capitol, in Austin, is the largest state capitol in the nation. It is a beautiful building with a fabulous double dome. More than 15,000 carloads of Texas pink granite were used in its construction. The capitol was constructed by a company from Chicago in exchange for three million acres of Panhandle land. The Bluebonnet, Lupinas texenis, became the state flower in 1901. It is a lovely, blueish flower covering the hills of central Texas from late March to early May. The Rio Grande River is the longest river in Texas. It heads in Colorado and enters Texas at the northwestern corner in El Paso County and flows south until it enters the Gulf of Mexico, forming a boundary with Mexico for almost 1,000 miles. Cotton, alias white gold, brings more than $1 billion to Texas annually. Texas grows more cotton than any other state in the nation. The world's largest cotton gin is in Crosbyton, near Lubbock. It produces approximately 40,000 bales a year. The majority of Texas cotton is exported to Japan. The Ruby Red Grapefruit was developed in the lower Rio Grande Valley near Brownsville, Texas. It is a delicious and sweet variety. Gtrus grown in the Grande Valley area tends to be less acidic. Texas ranks with California and Florida as one of the three leading citrus production states.