1. In 1869, the Mammoth Hot Springs were discovered in Yellowstone National Park by members of the Folsom-Cook expedition, including Texan geologist Walter P. Jenney. The unique geological formations have since become a popular tourist attraction.

2. On July 28, 1937, the infamous "Catfish" John Willis was executed in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of a police officer. Willis was a notorious criminal and bootlegger in East Texas during the Prohibition era, and his death by electric chair marked the first execution in Texas in nearly 20 years.

3. In 1976, the Texas Attorney General's office issued a landmark opinion stating that cheerleading was a sport, and that its participants should therefore be subject to the same safety and competition standards as other athletes. This ruling laid the foundation for the modern, highly competitive world of cheerleading.

4. On July 28, 1995, the Texas Rangers baseball team retired the number 34 in honor of Nolan Ryan, who had recently retired from baseball. Ryan, a native Texan, had spent the final five years of his legendary career with the Rangers.

5. In 2010, the first-ever Texas Book Festival was held at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. The festival, which has since become an annual event, brings together authors and readers from across the state and beyond for two days of literary celebration.