1. In 1835, William Barret Travis wrote a letter from Gonzales, Texas, urging fellow Texans to stand up against Mexican aggression. The letter ended with the famous line, "I shall never surrender or retreat."

2. On June 7, 1848, the first issue of the Galveston News was published. This newspaper went on to become one of the most influential in Texas history.

3. In 1930, oil was discovered in East Texas at a depth of 3,592 feet. This led to an oil boom in the region and helped to fuel the state's economy for decades.

4. On June 7, 1965, a tornado struck the town of Topeka, Texas, killing 2 people and injuring 25 others. The tornado was just one of many that struck the area during a severe weather outbreak on that day.

5. In 2008, Houston native José Altuve made his Major League debut for the Houston Astros. Altuve went on to become one of the most successful players in Astros history, including leading the team to a World Series championship in 2017.