History of Texas in Timeline

Texas, located in the South Central region of the United States, is the second-largest state by both area and population, with over 31 million residents as of 2024. It shares borders with Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and four Mexican states. Texas also has a coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Known as the Lone Star State, this nickname originates from its history as the independent Republic of Texas.

1900: Galveston Hurricane

In 1900, Texas experienced the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, the Galveston hurricane.

January 10, 1901: Discovery of Spindletop

On January 10, 1901, the first major oil well in Texas, Spindletop, was discovered south of Beaumont, transforming Texas due to the resulting "oil boom".

1901: Poll Tax and White Primaries Established

In 1901, the Democratic-dominated state legislature in Texas passed a bill requiring payment of a poll tax for voting and established white primaries, effectively disenfranchising most Black and many poor White and Latino people.

1911: Texas leads in railroad miles

Since 1911, Texas has led the nation in the length of railroad miles within the state.

1912: Socialist Party Rise in Texas

After 1912, the Socialist Party became the second-largest party in Texas, coinciding with a large socialist upsurge in the United States.

1915: 1915 Galveston Hurricane

In 1915, Galveston was hit by another devastating hurricane.

1932: Peak of railway length

In 1932, Texas railway length peaked at 17,078 miles.

1940: Texas Population Demographics in 1940

In 1940, Texas was 74% White, 14.4% Black, and 11.5% Hispanic.

1948: Opening of the Gulf Freeway

In 1948, the Gulf Freeway opened in Houston, marking the first Texas freeway.

1950: "Everything is bigger in Texas" phrase

The phrase "everything is bigger in Texas" has been in regular use since at least 1950.

1957: Hurricane Audrey

In 1957, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Audrey.

1959: Alaska becomes a state

In 1959, Alaska became a state, making Texas no longer the largest U.S. state.

1961: Hurricane Carla

In 1961, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Carla.

1967: Hurricane Beulah

In 1967, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Beulah.

1972: Peak Oil Production

Oil production in Texas averaged three million barrels per day at its peak in 1972.

1976: Capital punishment resumes

Since the US Supreme Court allowed capital punishment to resume in 1976, 40% of all U.S. executions have taken place in Texas.

1979: Tropical Storm Claudette

In 1979, Texas was impacted by Tropical Storm Claudette.

1980: San Antonio as "The Tejano Music Capital Of The World"

Since 1980, San Antonio has evolved into "The Tejano Music Capital Of The World".

1980: Republican presidential candidate support

Since 1980, most Texas voters have supported Republican presidential candidates.

1983: Hurricane Alicia

In 1983, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Alicia.

1984: Texas highway miles

In 1984, Texas had 71,000 miles of public highway.

1986: "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign inception

In 1986, the "Don't Mess with Texas" slogan began as an anti-littering advertisement.

1989: Tropical Storm Allison

In 1989, Tropical Storm Allison caused damage in Texas.

1990: Hispanics and Latino Americans Overtake Blacks

By 1990, Hispanics and Latino Americans overtook Blacks to become the largest minority group in Texas.

1990: Islamic population

In 1990, the Islamic population in Texas was about 140,000.

1994: Last Democrat elected to statewide office

Since 1994, Texans have not elected a Democrat to a statewide office.

1996: DART begins light rail operation

In 1996, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) began operating the first light rail system in the Southwest United States.

1996: Hopwood v. Texas case

Texas's alternative affirmative action plan aims to avoid problems stemming from the Hopwood v. Texas case in 1996.

1997: Texas Motor Speedway hosts auto races

Since 1997, the Texas Motor Speedway has hosted annual NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar Series auto races.

2000: Population growth

Between 2000 and 2010, the total population of Texas grew by 20.6%, with Hispanics and Latino Americans growing by 65%, and non-Hispanic Whites by 4.2%.

2000: Texas railway length declines

By 2000, Texas railway length had declined to 14,006 miles.

2000: Foreign-Born Residents in Texas in 2000

The number of foreign-born residents in Texas increased from 2,899,642 in 2000 to 4.9 million in 2018.

2000: Redistricting following the census

The state had already redistricted following the 2000 census.

2001: Tropical Storm Allison

In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison caused damage in Texas again.

2002: Texas Leads U.S. in Export Revenue

Since 2002, Texas has led the United States in state export revenue.

2003: Texas redistricting led by Tom DeLay

In 2003, Texas's redistricting of Congressional districts, led by Republican Tom DeLay, was called "an extreme case of partisan gerrymandering".

2004: Adherents of religions

Around 146,000 adherents of religions such as Hinduism and Sikhism lived in Texas as of 2004.

2004: Christmas Eve Snowstorm

In 2004, a Christmas Eve snowstorm dropped 6 inches (150 mm) of snow as far south as Kingsville, where the average high temperature in December is 65 °F.

2004: Goods passed through Texas FTZs

In 2004, a combined total of $298 billion of goods passed through Texas Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs).

2005: Texas highway miles

As of 2005, Texas had 79,535 miles of public highway.

2005: Railroad regulation reassigned

In 2005, Texas reassigned the regulation of state railroads from the Railroad Commission of Texas to TxDOT.

2005: Tax donor state

In 2005, Texas was a "tax donor state"; for every dollar Texans paid to the federal government in federal income taxes, the state got back about $0.94 in benefits.

2005: Hurricane Rita

In 2005, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Rita.

2005: Urban centers contain two-thirds of population

In 2005, urban centers of Texas contained two-thirds of the population.

May 2006: Texas Initiates "code red" program

In May 2006, Texas initiated the program "code red" in response to a report that the state had 25.1 percent of the population without health insurance, the largest proportion in the nation.

2006: Language other than English spoken at home

As of 2006, 34.2% of Texas's population aged five and older spoke a language at home other than English.

2006: Texas spending per pupil

Between 2006 and 2007, Texas spent $7,275 per pupil, ranking it below the national average.

2006: League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry

In 2006, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state (and Republicans) in the case League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry, which involved legal challenges to the redistricting.

2007: Texas residents engaging in regular exercise

According to a 2007 study, Texas is ranked forty-second in the percentage of residents who engage in regular exercise.

2007: Texas spending per pupil

Between 2006 and 2007, Texas spent $7,275 per pupil, ranking it below the national average.

2008: Hurricane Ike

In 2008, Texas was impacted by Hurricane Ike.

2008: Jewish population

In 2008, the Jewish population in Texas was around 128,000.

2008: Texas cities in obesity survey

The 2008 Men's Health obesity survey ranked four Texas cities among the top 25 fattest cities in America: Houston ranked 6th, Dallas 7th, El Paso 8th, and Arlington 14th.

2010: Languages spoken at home

At the census of 2010, 65.8% of Texas residents age 5 and older spoke only English at home, while 29.2% spoke Spanish.

2010: Texas maternal mortality rate

From 2010 to 2014, the rate by which Texas women died from pregnancy-related complications doubled.

2010: Birth demographics in Texas

In 2010, Hispanics accounted for 49% of all births, non-Hispanic Whites 35%, non-Hispanic Blacks 11.5%, and Asians/Pacific Islanders 4.3% in Texas.

2010: Texas ranked as business-friendly

In 2010, Site Selection Magazine ranked Texas as the most business-friendly state.

2010: Texas population density

In 2010, Texas had a population density of 96.3 people per square mile, slightly higher than the U.S. average of 87.4 people per square mile. Two-thirds of all Texans lived in major metropolitan areas.

2010: Emission Events in 2010

In 2010, there were 2,553 "emission events" which poured 44.6 million pounds (20,200 metric tons) of contaminants into the Texas sky.

2010: Millionaires in Texas

In 2010, there were 346,000 millionaires in Texas, the second-largest population of millionaires in the nation.

2010: Texas Population Increase Since 2010

In the 2020 Census, The resident population of Texas increased 15.9% since the 2010 census.

February 2011: White population below 50%

Based on U.S. Census Bureau data released in February 2011, the White population in Texas was below 50% (45%), while Hispanics grew to 38%.

2011: School corporal punishment in Texas

According to government data for the 2011–2012 school year, 28,569 public school students in Texas were paddled at least one time.

2011: Texas Colonias in 2011

In 2011, Texas had about 2,294 colonias with an estimated 500,000 residents; Hidalgo County had the largest number of colonias.

2011: STAAR test replaced TAKS

In the 2011–2012 school year, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.

2012: School corporal punishment in Texas

According to government data for the 2011–2012 school year, 28,569 public school students in Texas were paddled at least one time.

2012: Muslim population

As of 2012, there were an estimated 350,000 to 400,000 Muslims in Texas.

2012: Incentive programs

In 2012, Texas had incentive programs worth $19 billion per year, more than any other U.S. state, to attract business.

2012: Pause of the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry

In 2012, the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry between Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin was paused when Texas A&M left the Big 12 and joined the SEC.

2012: STAAR test replaced TAKS

In the 2011–2012 school year, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.

2012: Circuit of the Americas hosts Formula 1

Since 2012, Austin's Circuit of the Americas has hosted a round of the Formula 1 World Championship.

2014: Oil production

According to a 2014 study, if Texas were its own country it would be the sixth-largest oil producer in the world.

2014: African American Christian Denominations

According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, the state's largest historically African American Christian denominations were the National Baptist Convention (USA) and the Church of God in Christ.

2014: Christian denominations

According to the Pew Research Center, the largest Christian denomination as of 2014 was the Catholic Church, representing 23% of the population, while Protestants collectively constituted 50% of the Christian population in Texas.

2014: Central American Migration Crisis in 2014

During the 2014 crisis, many Central Americans, including unaccompanied minors traveling alone from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, reached Texas, overwhelming Border Patrol resources.

2014: Texas maternal mortality rate

From 2010 to 2014, the rate by which Texas women died from pregnancy-related complications doubled to 23.8 per 100,000.

2014: Wind power and renewable energy leadership

In 2014, 10.6% of the electricity consumed in Texas came from wind turbines, highlighting the state's leadership in renewable energy and wind power production.

2014: Evangelical Protestants population

In 2014, Evangelical Protestants were 31% of the population in Texas, with Baptists being the largest Evangelical tradition (14%). Nondenominational and interdenominational Protestant Christians were the second largest Evangelical group (7%) followed by Pentecostals (4%).

2014: Non-Christian faiths in Texas

In 2014, Non-Christian faiths accounted for 4% of the religious population in Texas. Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism were tied as the second largest religion as of 2014.

2014: Undocumented Immigrants in Texas in 2014

In 2014, there were an estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas, making up 35% of the total Texas immigrant population and 6.1% of the total state population.

2014: Tea Party gains in Texas elections

In the 2014 Texas elections, the Tea Party movement made large gains, with numerous Tea Party favorites being elected into office.

2014: Muslim populated state

Texas was the fifth-largest Muslim-populated state as of 2014.

2014: Decline in Undocumented Immigrant Residents since 2014

The undocumented immigrant population decreased by 103,000 since 2014 in Texas.

2015: Foreign-Born Residents in Texas in 2015

In 2015, Texas had 4.7 million foreign-born residents, about 17% of the population and 21.6% of the state workforce.

2016: Increase in Undocumented Immigrant Residents since 2016

The undocumented immigrant population increased by 142,000 since 2016 in Texas.

2017: Texas Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2017

As of 2017, Texas emitted the most greenhouse gases in the U.S., about 1,600 billion pounds (707 million metric tons) of carbon dioxide annually.

2017: Hurricane Harvey Makes Landfall

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Rockport as a Category 4 Hurricane, causing significant damage. It caused $198.6 billion in damage, surpassing the cost of Hurricane Katrina.

2018: Foreign-Born Residents in Texas in 2018

As of 2018, Texas had 4.9 million foreign-born residents, or 17.2% of the state population.

2018: Texas incarceration rate

In 2018, Texas had the 8th highest incarceration rate in the U.S.

2018: Millionaire households increased

In 2018, the number of millionaire households in Texas increased to 566,578.

2019: Undocumented Immigrant Residents in Texas in 2019

According to the American Community Survey's 2019 estimates, 1,739,000 residents in Texas were undocumented immigrants.

2019: Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston Metropolitan Area Populations in 2019

As of 2019, The Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas number about 7.5 million and 7 million residents, respectively.

2019: Texas Growth Rate in 2019

In 2019, Texas's growth rate was determined to be at 1,000 people per day.

2019: Tropical Storm Imelda

In 2019, Tropical Storm Imelda caused damage in Texas.

2019: Texas population demographics

In 2019, non-Hispanic Whites represented 41.2% of Texas's population. Black people made up 12.9%, American Indians and Alaska Natives 1.0%, Asian Americans 5.2%, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 0.1%, some other race 0.2%, and two or more races 1.8%. Hispanics or Latino Americans of any race made up 39.7% of the estimated population in 2019.

March 4, 2020: First Confirmed COVID-19 Case in Texas

The first confirmed case of the COVID-19 virus in Texas was announced on March 4, 2020.

April 27, 2020: Texas Announces Phase One of Re-opening the Economy

On April 27, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott announced phase one of re-opening the economy in Texas.

May 2020: Unemployment rate

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state's unemployment rate was 13 percent.

November 2020: Texas Selected for Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Testing

In November 2020, Texas was selected as one of four states to test Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

2020: Non-Christian faiths population

According to Public Religion Research Institute, non-Christian faiths accounted for 5% of the religious population in 2020. The largest non-Christian groups were the irreligious (20%), Judaism (1%), Islam (1%), and Buddhism (1%).

2020: Language spoken

According to the 2020 American Community Survey's estimates, 64.9% of the population spoke only English, while 35.1% spoke a language other than English in Texas.

2020: Protestant Populations

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, Southern Baptists numbered 3,319,962; non-denominational Protestants 2,405,786 and United Methodists 938,399 as the most numerous Protestant groups in the state.

2020: Christian population in Texas

According to the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, 75.5% of the population in Texas identified as Christian.

2020: Texas Cities with Populations Greater Than 600,000

As of 2020, six Texas cities had populations greater than 600,000.

2020: Census racial and ethnic composition

At the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic composition of the state was 42.5% White (39.8% non-Hispanic White), 11.8% Black, 5.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 13.6% some other race, 17.6% two or more races, and 40.2% Hispanic and Latino American of any race.

2020: University rankings

In 2020, The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University were ranked as the 21st and 41st best universities in the nation, respectively, according to the Center for World University Rankings report.

2020: Catholic Church membership increased

In the 2020 study by the Public Religion Research Institute, the Catholic Church's membership increased to encompassing 28% of the population identifying with a religious or spiritual belief.

2020: Muslim population study

The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated there were 313,209 Muslims in Texas as of 2020.

2020: Texas Population in 2020

The resident population of Texas was 29,145,505 in the 2020 census, a 15.9% increase since the 2010 census. At the 2020 census, the apportioned population of Texas stood at 29,183,290.

January 1, 2021: Petroleum reserves

As of January 1, 2021, Texas has proved recoverable petroleum reserves of about 15.6 billion barrels of crude oil (44% of the known U.S. reserves) and 9.5 billion barrels of natural gas liquids.

February 2, 2021: COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Texas as of February 2, 2021

As of February 2, 2021, there had been over 2.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in Texas, with at least 37,417 deaths.

May 2021: Texas Heartbeat Act passed

In May 2021, the state legislature passed the Texas Heartbeat Act, which banned abortion from as early as six weeks of pregnancy, except to save the life of the mother.

2021: Texans speaking French

By 2021, approximately 50,546 Texans spoke French or a French-based creole language.

2021: Winter Storm Uri and Power Crisis in 2021

During February 13–17, 2021, Winter Storm Uri caused a major weather emergency in Texas, leading to historically high power usage, rolling blackouts, and a power crisis, leaving over 3 million Texans without power and over 4 million under boil-water notices.

2021: 2021 Texas Power Crisis

During the February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm, rare arctic or polar air masses penetrated Texas, resulting in a crisis such as the 2021 Texas power crisis.

2021: Panther City Lacrosse Club begins playing

The Panther City Lacrosse Club began playing matches at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2021.

July 2, 2022: Texas Surpasses 30 Million People on July 2, 2022

As of July 2, 2022, Texas became only the second U.S. state after California to surpass a total estimated population of 30 million people.

August 25, 2022: Law banning abortion at any stage of pregnancy takes effect

On August 25, 2022, a law took effect in Texas that made committing abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony punishable by life in prison.

2022: Homeless population in Texas

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 24,432 homeless people in Texas.

2022: Largest share of state's population

As of 2022, Hispanics and Latinos of any race replaced the non-Hispanic White population as the largest share of the state's population.

2022: Ancestry in Texas

As of 2022, Texas has the second-largest share of Mexican Americans in the US, making up 32.2% of the total population and 80% of the state's Hispanic population. Other than Mexican, the largest self-reported ancestries in the state are German, English, and Irish.

2022: Midterm elections

As of the midterm elections of 2022, a large majority of the members of Texas's U.S. House delegation are Republican, along with both U.S. Senators.

2022: Inaugural season of the Panther City Lacrosse Club

The Panther City Lacrosse Club's inaugural season at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, took place in 2022.

July 1, 2024: Texas Population Estimate on July 1, 2024

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Texas to be 31,290,831 as of July 1, 2024, a 7.4% increase since the 2020 census.

2024: Texas's gross state product

As of 2024, Texas had a gross state product (GSP) of $2.664 trillion, the second highest of any U.S. state.

2024: Texas Population in 2024

As of 2024, Texas has over 31 million residents, making it the second-largest state by area and population in the United States.

2024: Fortune 500 companies

As of 2024, Texas has the second-highest number (52) of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the United States.

2024: Compromise of 1850 Debt Equivalence in 2024

In 2024, the $10 million assumption of the old republic's debt from the Compromise of 1850 is equivalent to $363,423,000.

2024: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Payment Equivalence in 2024

In 2024, the US$18,250,000 paid for the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is equivalent to $663,247,000.

2024: Resumption of the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry

In 2024, the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry between Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin resumed when Texas joined the SEC.