Liriope's Muse: Things You Probably Dind't Know About Texas' Coastal Region

There is more to Texas' Gulf Coastal Plains than you may think. It is the home of NASA's Johnson Space Center, America's Space Center. The Flagship Hotel, in Galveston, was the first and only hotel over the water. Texans favorite drink, Dr. Pepper, was invented in Waco. The small historical town of Beaumont is 742 miles from El Paso but only 770 miles from Chicago. And Houston, the most populous city in Texas, is known for its vast cultural diversity having more than 145 languages regularly spoken.

Pop culture aside, Texas' Gulf Coast is rich in American history. Once home to various Native American tribes, including the Akokisa, Karankawa, and Atakapa. It hosted the Battle of The Alamo. Texas' great oil boom largely offset the effects of the great depression and still produces 42.5% of the United States' domestic crude oil. And unfortunately, it was the setting of John F. Kennedy's assassination.

The Gulf Coastal Plains are known to have the most diverse wildlife, vegetation, landscapes, and natural beauty in all of Texas. These Plains span over 360 miles in length, from the Rio Grande Vally to Beaumont, and 100 miles wide at some points. This region is home to over 7.5 million people, amounting to 25% of all of Texas' population, and the Houston - The Woodlands - Sugarland MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) houses 98% of the region's population. To put it into perspective, if the Gulf Coastal Plains were a state, in terms of population, it would be the 14th largest state!

Here are some other fun facts I found out along the way:

• This region boasts some of the largest oak trees in all of Texas and majority of the state champs can be found here.
• Makes up nearly half of Texas.
• Thanks to its ample water source and rich soils, this region is a prime location for the cultivation of many crops like rice!
• The plains are called home by a wide variety of wildlife including alligators, game, and most notably migratory birds.

The Texas Gulf Coastal Plains are the perfect location for tree enthusiasts like Eric and me, they boast many unique and historical trees and we are lucky to call them our home.

Resources I found helpful during my research:

Texas Comptroller Gulf Coast Regions

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Gulf Coast Resources