DUANE
Texas Historical Markers by Theme
Strange But True Texas History Markers
Some Texas historical markers tell stories you would not believe if they were not cast in metal on the side of the road. These are the odd, surprising, and hard-to-believe ones, each told out loud by Duane.
289 stories across 145 Texas counties, each with the official marker text alongside Duane's telling.
Start with these Strange But True stories
- AstrodomeHouston
Judge Roy Hofheinz envisioned the world's first air-conditioned fully enclosed multi-purpose stadium by 1960.
- Beeville Post OfficeBeeville
The first post office was established in Beeville in 1859, the year after the town's founding.
- Dallas City Hall, 1914-1978Dallas
In May 1910 Dallas officials determined that the City Hall, then situated on the northwest corner of Commerce and Akard Streets, had become too small…
- Bryan Air Force BaseBryan
During World War II, construction of Bryan Army Air Field (Bryan AAF) began in August 1942.
- Cal Rodgers and the Vin FizDel Rio
In 1910, publishing titan William Randolph Hearst offered $50,000 to the first person to successfully complete a transcontinental flight across…
- Chalk Bluff Indian MassacreUvalde
Here on May 29, 1861, two of southwest Texas' most feared Indian fighters were ambushed by a band of 20 hostile Indians.
- Conroe Oil FieldConroe
One of the great petroleum areas of the Texas coastal region. Opened December 13, 1931, by the discovery well of George Strake (No. 1 South Texas…
- Early Play-By-Play Radio Broadcast of a College Football GameCollege Station
In 1920, David J. Finn and other Texas A&M electrical engineering students attempted to broadcast the football game at Oklahoma A&M via ham radio.
Where to find Strange But True markers
- Galveston9 stories
- San Antonio9 stories
- Austin7 stories
- Del Rio6 stories
- Odessa6 stories
- Snyder5 stories
- Langtry4 stories
- Canyon3 stories
- Corpus Christi3 stories
- El Paso3 stories
By county
Every Strange But True story, by region
Strange But True markers in Big Bend (19)
- Captain Henry Skillman, C.S.A.Presidio
- Confederate President Jefferson DavisFort Davis
- Guadalupe PeakPine Springs
- Leoncita SpringsAlpine
- Los Caballos (in core of the Ouachita Structural Belt)Marathon
- Marfa LightsMarfa vicinity
- MentoneMentone
- MentoneMentone
- Moorhead Cable Tool RigKermit
- Old MainEl Paso
- Old Wink CemeteryWink
- Pioneer CemeteryFort Davis
- Rattlesnake Bomber BasePyote
- Texas Confederate Colonel Henry P. Brewster (1816-1884)Alpine
- The Rainmakers of 1891El Paso
- The University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso
- Willow SpringsKermit
- Winkler County Discovery WellWinkler
- World's First RodeoPecos
Strange But True markers in Central Texas (49)
- Addcox HouseAustin
- Austin's Moonlight TowersAustin
- Belton Woman's CommonwealthBelton
- Bessie ColemanWaxahachie
- Bill PickettTaylor
- Boggy Creek Masonic CemeteryAustin
- Bryan Air Force BaseBryan
- C.S.A. Saltpetre MineConcan
- Caudle CemeteryDublin vicinity
- Chalk Bluff Indian MassacreUvalde
- China Spring CemeteryChina Spring
- Choctaw Robinson TreeComanche
- Community of NamelessAustin
- Corsicana Hebrew CemeteryCorsicana
- Dinosaur TracksGlen Rose
- Early Play-By-Play Radio Broadcast of a College Football GameCollege Station
- EastlandEastland
- First Methodist Church BellFairfield
- First National BankCisco
- General Walter Washington WilliamsFranklin
- Grandview Cemetery and Original Grand View Town SiteGrandview
- Home Area of Chinese FarmersCalvert
- Home of Robert E. HowardCross Plains
- Hot Mineral WaterMarlin
- Inner Space Cavern (Laubach Cave)Georgetown
- Jay Justin ClarkeEnnis
- Leanderthal LadyLeander
- Major Ben Ficklin, C.S.A.San Angelo
- Mount BonnellAustin
- Myers CemeteryAlvarado
- Nancy Parker CabinCrews
- Pioneer Texas TelephonesCleburne
- Rising StarRising Star
- Roaring RangerRanger
- RobertsonWaco
- Round Rock CemeteryRound Rock
- San Saba PeakGoldthwaite
- Silver Mine PassConcan
- Site of Pecan Springs SchoolAustin
- Steamboat Washington Landed HereCameron
- Sutherland SpringsSutherland Spring
- The Archive WarAustin
- The Crash at CrushWest
- Town of FashingFashing
- Town of KnippaKnippa
- Town of ThrallThrall
- Trimble CemeteryLytle
- Wilson-Leonard Brushy Creek Burial SiteCedar Park
- Wootan WellsBremond
Strange But True markers in East Texas (17)
- "Los Ojos de Padre Margil" ("The Eyes of Father Margil")Nacogdoches
- Bridges HouseRoganville
- Depot Explosion and MysteryLufkin
- Ellis P. BeanAlto
- Fellowship CemeteryWarren
- Headache Springs, C. S. A. Medical LaboratoryTyler
- Henry Opera HouseHuntsville
- Isaac R. YoungbloodBeckville
- Malakoff ManTrinidad
- Moscow, Camden & San Augustine RailroadCamden
- New London School ExplosionNew London
- Old Rusk TramwayJacksonville
- Pioneer Texas Oil Man: Lyne Taliaferro BarretMelrose
- Steamboat HouseWalker County
- The Gatling HouseSan Augustine
- Union Hill ChurchHuntsville
- Vicente MicheliLufkin
Strange But True markers in Gulf Coast (48)
- "Brit" Bailey PlantationBailey's Prairie
- Asa Hill of RutersvilleRutersville
- AstrodomeHouston
- Carmelo "Charles" BertolinoGalveston
- ChamberseaAnahuac
- Conroe Oil FieldConroe
- District Court TreeColumbus
- Dr. Sofie Deligath HerzogBrazoria
- First Airplane Flight Over TexasSouth Houston
- Gail Borden, Jr.Galveston
- George Campbell ChildressGalveston
- George LordWesthoff
- Ghost Road: The Big Thicket LightSaratoga
- Gideon LincecumBurton
- Gideon LincecumBrenham
- James Briton "Brit" BaileyBailey's Prairie
- Jean Baptiste ChaisonBeaumont
- Jean LafitteGalveston
- Joel PontonHallettsville
- Karankawa CampsiteJamaica Beach
- Kleb Family HouseTomball
- Lafitte's GroveGalveston
- Lambrecht's Artesian WellHumble
- Lost Pines of TexasBastrop
- Macaroni StationEdna
- Mission Nuestra Senora de la Luz del Orcoquisac and Presidio San Agustin de AhumadaWallisville
- Monument Hill TombLa Grange
- Mrs. Angelina Bell Peyton EberlyIndianola
- Old Dime BoxDime Box
- Peter BluntzerMeyersville
- Peter Leroy ColomboGalveston
- Samuel DamonWest Columbia
- San Jacinto County JailColdspring
- Selkirk IslandMatagorda County
- Site of Carry Nation's HotelEast Columbia
- Site Of Landmark Campbell's BayouTexas City
- Site of Robson's Castle and Columbus, Texas, Meat and Ice CompanyColumbus
- Spoetzl BreweryShiner
- SS SelmaGalveston
- Stephen ScallornSmithville
- The Great Camel ExperimentIndianola
- The Mexican Telegraph Company / The Zimmermann TelegramGalveston
- The Wild Man of the NavidadSublime
- Tilton CemeteryBaytown
- To Generals Lallemand, Antoine Riguad, the veterans of the Napoleonic WarsLiberty
- Town of BediasBedias
- West Galveston IslandGalveston
- Zimmerman CemeteryPort Lavaca
Strange But True markers in Hill Country (36)
- Apelt Armadillo FarmCenter Point
- AqueductSan Antonio
- Baby Head CemeteryLlano
- Barbed WireSan Antonio
- Belgian Transit of Venus Observation SiteSan Antonio
- Building 100 "Taj Mahal"San Antonio
- Camp Verde General Store and Post OfficeCamp Verde
- Camps Verde, C.S.A.Camp Verde
- Cascade CavernBoerne
- Clark Family CemeteryRio Frio
- Community of Valley SpringValley Spring
- Dead Man's HoleMarble Falls
- Gun Cap FactoryFredericksburg
- Herman and Willie LehmannLoyal Valley
- Hygieostatic Bat RoostComfort
- Jakob (Jacob) BrodbeckLuckenbach
- Jefferson Davis SmithSan Antonio
- Kyle CemeteryKyle
- Longhorn CavernsBurnet
- Mission San Francisco de la Espada (Mission St. Francis of the Sword)San Antonio
- Mission San Francisco de la Espada Dam, Ditch and AqueductSan Antonio
- Natural Bridge CavernsNew Braunfels
- Nine Miles West is the Enchanted RockLlano
- One Mile to Ruins of Camp VerdeCamp Verde
- Onion Creek Indian FightBrady vicinity
- Phoenix SaloonNew Braunfels
- Pilot's Lounge at Bandera AirparkBandera
- Pleasant Valley Farmers' Alliance No. 1Lampasas
- Riley's TavernNew Braunfels
- Site of Camp VerdeKerrville
- Site of Home (1850 to 1870) of Samuel Augustus MaverickSan Antonio
- Site of Old Park Named for Comanche Chief KatemcyKatemcy
- Site of Town of StricklingBertram
- The Easter FiresFredericksburg
- William and Mary Ann Richter HouseSan Antonio
- Wonder CaveSan Marcos
Strange But True markers in North Texas (37)
- "Ace of Clubs" HouseTexarkana
- 1899 Automobile TripForney
- Adair-Steadman SiteSylvester vicinity
- Alex AlbrightDundee
- Aurora CemeteryAurora
- Bessie ColemanAtlanta
- Canton: The Misplaced County SeatCanton
- Chalybeate SpringsHughes Springs
- Dallas City Hall, 1914-1978Dallas
- Dellwood ParkMt. Pleasant
- Dipping VatCanton
- Dr. Peter GunsolusBreckenridge
- Early Wilbarger CountyVernon
- Elbert GrayWills Point
- First Texas Artificial Gas PlantJefferson
- Frognot CommunityBlue Ridge
- Girlhood Home of Southern Beauty Lucy Holcombe PickensMarshall
- Gooseneck CemeteryGraham
- Gus WilsonChambersville
- Henry Clay ThrustonMt. Pleasant
- Highways Paved With GoldRinggold
- J.F. and J. Nutt BuildingGranbury
- Lewisville Prehistoric SiteLewisville
- Mineral WellsMineral Wells
- North Nocona Oil Field - Montague County Oil Discovery, 1922Nocona
- Olive Ann Oatman FairchildSherman
- Ormer Leslie LocklearFort Worth
- Parson McClelland SchoolGilmer
- Robert A. Terrell HomeTerrell
- The Amis HouseEmory
- The Brooks HouseJefferson
- The Ezekiel AirshipPittsburg
- Top O' Hill TerraceArlington
- Wilbarger CountyVernon
- Wiley Hardeman PostGrand Saline
- Wizard WellsJacksboro vicinity
- World's Richest AcreKilgore
Strange But True markers in Panhandle (19)
- "The Buried City"Perryton
- Buffalo CourtsCanyon
- Fairmont CemeteryFollett
- Fossil BedsMiami
- Great Panhandle Indian Scare of 1891Claude
- Lake Theo Folsom Bison Kill SiteQuitaque
- Lindberghs Land at SpearmanSpearman
- Miami Mammoth Kill SiteMiami
- Near Route of the Coronado ExpeditionFarwell
- Northeast Corner of TexasFollett
- ParnellMiami
- Removal of Archives From Coldwater to StratfordStratford
- Route of Coronado ExpeditionClaude
- Site of Significant Archaeological Find, American MammothsAmarillo
- Tex RandallCanyon
- The Sad Monkey RailroadCanyon
- Thomas Cree HomesitePanhandle
- Town Without a ToothacheHereford
- Two Miles North of HereTulia
Strange But True markers in South Texas (25)
- Beeville Post OfficeBeeville
- Don Pedro JaramilloFalfurrias
- El Horcon Tract and Rio RicoMercedes
- Englishmen in South Texas, 1568Kingsville
- Espantosa LakeCarrizo Springs
- Floyd H. (Slats) RodgersMcAllen
- Fort Brown, Buildings 85 and 86Brownsville
- Great Land Lottery of Aransas PassAransas Pass
- Historic Cattle Dipping VatKingsville
- Indian Burial Ground (Dietz Archeological Site)Riviera
- Josepha RodriguezSan Patricio
- La Mota de Olmos CemeteryBenavides
- Late Pleistocene Ingleside FaunaIngleside
- Launching Site of First U.S. Army WarplaneBrownsville
- Lone Star FairCorpus Christi
- Medio CreekBeeville
- Mills WharfRockport
- PenitasMission vicinity
- Quinta Mazatlan, Home of Jason MatthewsMcAllen
- San Caja HillMcMullen County
- Site of the Corpus Christi LighthouseCorpus Christi
- Site Planned for a Regional Trade Center: Simmons, TexasThree Rivers
- Solomon Coles (1844-1924) and Solomon Coles SchoolCorpus Christi
- The Rev. Pierre Yves KeralumWeslaco
- Town of DineroDinero
Strange But True markers in West Texas (39)
- Bob's Oil WellMatador
- Brinkley MansionDel Rio
- C. W. Post Rain BattlesPost
- Cal Rodgers and the Vin FizDel Rio
- Castle MountainMcCamey
- Cedar LakeLoop
- Coronado in Blanco CanyonFloydada
- Discovery Site of the Plainview PointPlainview
- Dr. John R. BrinkleyDel Rio
- Early Settlers of Andrews CountyAndrews
- Garza CountyPost
- Home County of Famous Frontiersman J. Wright MooarSnyder
- Home County of Famous Frontiersman J. Wright MooarSnyder
- Home County of Famous Frontiersman J. Wright MooarSnyder
- Howard's WellSheffield
- J. Frank NorfleetHale Center
- J. J. Moore No. 1 Oil WellSnyder
- John Valentine PliskaMidland
- Law West of The PecosLangtry
- Midland CountyMidland
- Midland ManMidland
- Odessa Meteor CraterOdessa
- Odessa Telephone ExchangeOdessa
- Replica of XIT's Giant WindmillLittlefield
- Route of Nolan ExpeditionMeadow
- Roy Bean C. S. A.Del Rio
- Santa Rita No. 1Big Lake
- Site of Homestead of William C. SublettOdessa
- Site of Lake PlainviewPlainview
- Site of Odessa CollegeOdessa
- Site of VinegarroonLangtry
- Site of Virginia CityMaple
- Snyder National BankSnyder
- The Carter Family in Del RioDel Rio
- The Fitzsimmons-Maher PrizefightLangtry
- The JackrabbitOdessa
- The Pecos River in Literature and FolkloreLangtry
- U. S. Army Camel CorpsDel Rio
- Waddell Pecan TreeOdessa
More Texas history themes
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