Kfclark in the genealogy category mentioned that people say Kansas is flat.
It is a fact most out-of-state folks seem to look on Kansas as flat. They will swear by it although all they usually see or remember is I-70 over a few hours of driving. Next time someone says that, the below information might help convince them otherwise.
People do not realize they ascend 3,095 feet driving across I-70. Elevation is 825 feet at the east Kansas line to 3,915 feet at the west Kansas line. In reality, Kansas is in the middle of the states when it comes to being flat. A study printed in the Lawrence Journal-World in 2003 places Kansas as the 22nd flattest state in the nation. The flattest is Florida.
The highest point in Kansas is Mount Sunflower at 4,309 feet in Sherman County. The lowest point is along the Verdigris River in Montgomery County at 679 feet.
The highest named point in Elk County is the summit of Osage Cuestas at 1,411 feet, which makes it somewhere around the 50th highest summit in Kansas. According to my topographical application there are adjoining places which are somewhat higher.
I enjoy your varied and interesting subjects. Keep 'em coming!
Waldo - Where is Osage Cuestas in Elk County? Is it right across the road east from the Mt. Zion Cemetery? I have been told several times that that is the highest point in Elk County.
It is six miles due north of Grenola. There do seem to be spots up to 20 feet higher in the adjacent area but officially the high point is 1,411 feet.
I don't think I have heard of Mt. Zion cemetery in Elk County.
Can you tell me where that is?
Mt. Zion Cemetery is referred to by many as the North Pole Cemetery. It is located southwest of Fall River, is in Liberty Township, and is situated in the center of Section 28, Township 28, Range 12E.
Does this hill, across the road from the Mt. Zion Cemetery have a name? What is its elevation? The Mt. Zion School and the Mt. Zion Cemetery were referred to as the North Pole School and the North Pole Cemetery because the elevation there is so high, making it extremely cold in the winter – said to be the coldest place in the countryside.
I thought the top of Green Ranch was the highest spot..
( Is that not in Elk County?) :-[
I really don't know.. I just always thought it was..
All I know is that if you are at the top ..you can see forever it seems like.
Teresa - the Green Ranch is in Elk County. The Severy postmaster and her husband, Brenda and Rich Coffman, live in the house at the Green Ranch.
Height is just a relative measure against your surroundings. If you're on the highest spot within fifty miles, it usually looks like the highest spot in the world. As for the flatness of Kansas relative to ther flat things, I commend you to:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2003/jul/27/holy_hotcakes_study/ (http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2003/jul/27/holy_hotcakes_study/)
The high point directly across the road from the cemetery is at 1176 feet. There is no name shown on the map. The only named high point in Elk County I have seen on a map is Osage Cuestas.
I am using DeLorme Topo 5.0 but 6.0 might or might not have more names.
In comparison to the hill across from the cemetery, there is a hill southeast of Cave Springs that is at 1201 feet. That may be the highest point in the northeast area.
Just out of curiosity, I went to what I know as Peoples Hill on K-99 just south of the county line. The elevation there is at 1,240 feet.
I am not familiar with the location of Green Ranch but Osage Cuestas is supposed to be within a big ranch in western Elk County.
The Elk County courthouse is at 1,044 feet. My home here in Centennial, Co is at 5,698 feet.
Can you send me a link to where you obtained the information on the DeLorme Topo 5.0? Do you have a legal description for the summit of the Osage Cuestas? If so, we can identify who the current landowner is. Also, the hill you called "Peoples" Hill, is called that by most, but its true name was "Peebles" Hill, named after the Peebles family that lived there.
Topo USA 5.0 is my own software.
Osage Cuestas is in the east to west center of Greenfield Township about a mile south of the township line and east of the Big Caney River.
Based on a township map I have that does not show elevations, it appears to be in Range 9, Township 30 South, Section 19. A topo map that might be helpful is at http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lon=-96.4583&lat=37.425
The fact that it is the highest point in Elk County is at Hiking in Kansas http://www.mountainpeaks.net/hiking_kansas.html and America's Roof http://www.americasroof.com/highest/ks.shtml
Not to confuse matters, but the summit called Osage Cuestas is in the geologic region of Kansas also called Osage Cuestas. Osage Cuestas geologic region occupies most all of southeast Kansas. Elk County is entirely in Osage Cuestas geologic region except for a small corridor on the east boundary which is in the Chautauqua Hills geologic region.
You guys are really funny.... the highest spot in Delaware is all of 448 feet , the lowest spot is glub,glub. Too much ice melt and we are gone!
Well, they are saying 15 meters by 2060 or 2100. If that turns out to be true, Florida is going to be an itsy-bitsy island off the coast of the US. And, oh by the way, there are more than a billion people living now on what will be underwater then.
Thanks, Waldo. Section 19, Township 30, Range 9 is owned by Eagle Head Ranch, LLC. There is an area in Elk County known as the Eagle Head, and a private road goes up across it that is used by ranchers and oil field personnel. I believe Eagle Head Ranch is currently owned by a group of businessmen, one of which is Jack Bannon. It is also one of the ranches that is stocked with wild horses.
For me, the high point in Elk County is reading the many interesting and often
fun posts on this forum.
High and mighty --- my friends in Howard, Moline, Elk Falls, Grenola, Longton
and other places I've probably overlooked.
With me at 5,638 feet; Elk County in the 1,000's range; and Delaware at 400 feet or so; I am just glad everything rolls down hill.
I should thank sixmomsdog, above, for her comments.
By the way Diane, do you folks have ranges, townships, and sections? I am thinking any entity formerly colonial had a different system.
While talking colonial and just because it came to my mind, the first 13 states were formerly 12 colonies and one independent nation, The Republic of Vermont.
And Vermonters are still pretty darned independent in many of their actions. That's why I like that state so well. In my book, independent and critical thinking are what matters. And Vermont has that in spades. I think we can safely say that Delaware can claim some of the same, too, huh Diane?
Yup...sure can. We are a state of 3 counties and our incorporated areas. No ranges, townships or sections. We still have areas called "hundreds" that go back to British days. It is generally accepted that it was as much land as it took to generate 100 men to go fight whatever needed fighting. We still have Pencader hundred and Blackbird Hundred(Used to be Black Beard...yes, that one ) Pa., next door,( that used to be connected to Del. lo-o-o-ng ago) is not a state, it is a commonwealth and does have counties and townships. Many the old towns are Burroughs with a Burgess instead of a mayor. Now about rolling all your junk down hill to us....Cherry Island land fill can't hold too much more, so all you states on the way here have to recycle as much as you can on its way by, and then there won't be too much left when it gets here! ;D
Trivia for Diane,
Were you aware that the Delaware Indians were not originally called the Delaware Indians when they lived in your greater area?
In a switch, the tribe named themselves after the Governor of Jamestown, Lord de la Warr. The river was also named after him although his real name was Thomas West--go figure the British.
The US subsequently moved the tribe to Kanzas in Indian Territory and then to the reduced Indian Territory in Oklahoma.
I have already learned a lot about what happened to which Indians when and where in doing pages for the GenuineKansas Website. I have found it to be very interesting (and pretty darned shameful in many cases) and am sure that I will learn much more as I delve further into it.
We took this picture Saturday at a family reunion. This spot is northwest of Manhattan, I think. Maybe it's straight west of Manhattan. Wherever it is, it belongs to my cousin and he has a lovely log cabin home on it. I have no idea how high it is, but it seemed as if we could see forever.
< nod, nod >
Like I said, if you can see to the horizon and nothing is taller, you're in the highest spot that matters to you right then. It might be higher in the Alps, but that doesn't matter when you're not in the Alps.
Most local people are probably aware the Osage were in the Elk County area when this area was Howard County.
However, the Osage were not native to this area. They were moved into eastern Kanzas by federal treaty from Missouri and Arkansas to prepare those areas to become a state. The tribe had already moved from the Ohio River Valley because of losing wars with other stronger tribes.
After the Osage were moved to eastern Kanzas, the government then reduced their reservation to southeast Kansas to make room for as many as 20 other eastern tribes. An area above what is now Elk County is designated on early maps as "New York Indian lands."
Finally, in 1870, the government moved the Osage to Oklahoma to make way for Howard County settlers--although many settlers were already here in disregard of the Osage legal land title to the area.
The last Indian tribe moved to Oklahoma from Kansas was the Kanza in 1873. But, there are still four Indian reservations left in the state.
W. Gray - You sound like you're as big a map fan as I am. How do you like Google Earth? I heard a rumor a while back that they were planning on adding a topo layer to the satellite photography and street/road mapping that is already there. That would make it an even better package.
By an act of Congress on July 15, 1870, the Osage Trust Lands in Kansas were opened to white settlement. Isaac T. Bullock was one of the first to stake a claim in the Severy area, and he immediately went into business, opening up a trading post one mile west of present Severy. At the same time, Bullock began working to secure enough signatures of his neighbors to establish a post office in his trading post. He was successful in his effort, and a post office was established and officially given the name, "Valley Post Office," because it was located in the community then known as Valley. The community of Valley was so named because it was established in the Salt Creek Valley.
Janet - I could not find anything other than around 1400 feet or so northwest of Manhattan. Manhattan is in Riley county and the highest point in that county is at 2000 feet near Fort Riley.
Kermit-Using Google, the resolution is fine enough that I can zero in on my driveway before the resolution becomes blurry. However, if I try to zero in on Elk County there is nothing but a blur. Will be glad when the down to earth resolution will apply to everywhere. I hope they add a topo layer and then governmental townships and then land townships, sections, ranges, etc. Not sure how they are paying for this but I will take it.
W. Gray - The more populous the place, the better the resolution. You can almost see shoe color in Seattle and New York. But they are replacing the old blurry stuff from the early nineties very slowly in rural areas. And, hey, how does Google pay for anything? As the new Microsoft, I think they are just printing their own.
W. Gray. We still have the Nanticoke Tribe downstate now, and used to have Lenni Lenape also. I'm not sure what else. Actually I thought the Delaware Indians were from Ohio. I guess I've forgotten. Time to get the Del history book out again. Al is a MAP MAN, (ta-dah) too. Loves the compuer stuff. Working as a New Castle County planner, he was all about maps and census data. Al told me that early on, he could zoom down (at work) and tell what kind of car you had in your driveway, but homeland security stopped it.
Waldo,
Just thought I'd join in and mention that if you continue north from the point you listed as Osage Cuestas, there are several
elevations that go on up into the 1500's and some into the 1600's. In the very NW corner of Elk County, in section 22, there
is a plateau over 1600. Right next to it to the east in section 23, there is a point listed as 1635. Whether it has a name or
not, I can't say. There may be a spot even higher that I overlooked when scanning over that area on TopoZone.
That spot west of Manhattan where we were yesterday was not the highest spot around as the back yard continued uphill aways. Wish I were able to climb it.
When we were first married we lived in the NW part of Elk County and out to the northwest of us was a hill that seemed to go up forever. I would bet it was a half mile to the top. I would liked to have climbed it but it was someone else's property. My husband's grandmother wanted to climb it, too. We should have done it together instead of just wanting to. But several miles west of us the hills were even higher.
Dan,
I have noticed that variation also and do not know how to reconcile that with the official heights listed with DeLorme and the various web sites listing the highest summits. That is one big difference. I have never seen the high-low elevation statistics for Elk County.
Even around Osage Cuestas there are higher elevations shown.
Diane,
The Lenape is the tribe that renamed themselves Delaware. It seems to me that one of the Indian smoke shops south of Caney in Oklahoma is run by the Lenape or at least has that name.
For every tribe that was moved out of the eastern United States, there seems to be members of that same tribe still in the original area. For instance, the Cherokee were supposed to have been driven to Indian Territory in a big event called the Trail of Tears. But there are still Cherokee in North Carolina and other states in that area.
In my Cherokee history and family history, some of the Cherokee refused to be moved and disappeared into the hills. My grandfather was 1/4 Cherokee and he was born in Tennessee.
Wilma - Was your grandfather on the Cherokee roll? What was his name?
Here are the GenuineKansas starter pages on the Indian tribes that came through Kansas. They will get a lot bigger later. There is an amazing amount of material available. These are mainly from a Kansas perspective, but contain some other, earlier, history.
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_cherokee_nation_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_cherokee_nation_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_christian_munsees_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_christian_munsees_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_delaware_lenape_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_delaware_lenape_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_kaskaskia_peoria_wea_piankeshaw_tribes_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_kaskaskia_peoria_wea_piankeshaw_tribes_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_kaw_kanza_tribe_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_kaw_kanza_tribe_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_kickapoo_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_kickapoo_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_miami_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_miami_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_osage_nation_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_osage_nation_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_ottawa_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_ottawa_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_pottawatomie_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_pottawatomie_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_sac_and_fox_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_sac_and_fox_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_sale_of_the_delaware_trust_lands_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_sale_of_the_delaware_trust_lands_kansas.htm)
http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_shawnee_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm (http://www.genuinekansas.com/history_shawnee_tribe_kansas_native_americans_kansas.htm)
When the Cherokee were forced to move, tribal members were living in log cabins ala the white man. The nation was ruled by a President, rather than a chief, and the President lived in the "white house," the Cherokee version of the U.S. Presidents home.
The US Supreme Court actually ruled the federal government had no authority to move the Cherokee. The Cherokee had refused to sign a treaty which included the move. President Jackson made the comment that the Chief Justice had made his decision now let him enforce it. Times were different then, and the Judicial Branch, Congressional Branch, nor anyone else challenged Jackson after he ordered the move in accordance with the unsigned treaty.
So, what has changed?
( sorry, I couldn't resist )
( I'll sit quietly in the corner now )
Marcia, no, my grandfather was not on the Cherokee Roll. His father refused to live on Indian land and we understand that to be on the roll, you had to be living on Indian land. My great great grandfather, however, is on the roll as being the father of an Indian and several of his children are on the roll. My great great grandmother is nowhere to be found except as the wife and mother and is not on the roll. My great greats were Jesse Lowrey and Darcus Manard. If anyone can find anything on Darcus we would sure appreciate it. My grandfather was Samuel Preston Lowrey. His father was Isaac.
Here is some information on Darcus Manard.
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:w3S_kJfx5yAJ:archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/LOWRY/2001-01/0979018696+%22Darcus+Manard%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
Thank you, Marcia. I checked this and didn't find any more about Darcus Manard than we already knew, which is that she was married to Jesse Lowrey and had 11 children. The degree of Indian blood in my grandfather, Samuel, indicates that she would have been the full blood Indian and the tribe was Cherokee.
I'm a member of the Cherokee Nation, complete with card and all rights to get medical treatment at clinics, etc.
I've never done that, but I never say never! Believe me!
My grandmother signed the rolls (I believe it was in 1902), so all her descendents can be Cherokee Tribe members.
Now, here's the crazy thing: I'm only 1/128th Cherokee. My kids also have their cards and they're 1/256th.
My son and I went to Tahlequah 25 years ago to do some research into our heritage and we found my grandma's signature on the rolls. So, we signed all the paperwork and became tribal members. We even get to vote in elections. But what a farce! I really don't think the U.S.A. owes this ol' 1/128th Cherokee editor any medical benefits or grants to send my kids to college. Heck, I'm probably more Irish than Cherokee.
Still, I've always proudly claimed the Cherokee Nation as my own.
Are the "rolls" you have been talking about, the Dawes Rolls?
Well, I don't know for sure. But I'll find out and report back tomorrow. We've always just called them the Cherokee Rolls.
But me? I like hot rolls, cinammon rolls and drum rolls.
I don't know whether it's easier or more difficult for me, Rudy. My mother, of course, should know my heritage better than anyone. She was there, after all. And she absolutely insisted that I was, and I quote, "Half Dutch, Half English, Half Irish, and half-assed."
;D
I have a book, the Dawes Roll "Plus" by Bob Blankenship. It is a Cherokee Roots Publication. -- It includes the 1898 Dawes Roll plus Guion Miller Roll information for those that were on both rolls. One can look forward in time from 1898 to the 1906 Guion Miller Roll and see such things as a 1906 surname change brought about by marriage, divorce, or adoption. Also ages, addresses, relationships, Miller Roll number, Miller application number, etc. This, in addition to all information provided in the original 1898 Dawes Roll. All 36,714 Cherokee Nation Citizens of Cherokee Blood are included. The book is 216 pages long.
I also have the book, the Guion Miller Roll "Plus," listing those of the Eastern Cherokee nation, by Bob Blankenship. It, too, is a Cherokee Roots Publication. -- It includes the 1909 Guion Miller Roll plus the 1898 Dawes Roll information for those that were on both rolls. In addition, it includes all applicants for the Miller Roll, both accepted and not accepted for the Court of Claims settlement. One can look backward in time from 1906 to the 1898 Dawes Roll and find such items of information as Dawes Roll number, census card number, degree of Cherokee blood, and surname in 1898. It is 276 pages long.
Are those regular books-for-sale, Marcia? I can't imagine that there are a lot of Bob Blankenships in the Midwest and I grew up with one. I believe I'll take a look.
Irish, too, Rudy? I recently found out that I am more Irish than I thought, on both sides.
Rudy, for you I can do a drum roll, a couple of flam para-diddles and twirl the cymbals too! Freudian cymbals no less.
I got my books from the Cherokee Nation at Talequah, OK. My husband is part Cherokee, so I bought the books to see if any of his ancestors were possibly on one of the Cherokee rolls.
Diane, I knew you'd be into cymbalism.
Oh, Rudy, super-groan!
That was nearly perfect!
;D
Hey, when you labor in a world of words, you've got to do something entertaining with them.
You are very successful in the entertainment part.
Quote from: Diane Amberg on August 07, 2007, 12:29:45 PM
You are very successful in the the entertainment part.
Like a monkey and an organ grinder..
sighhhhhhhhhh ::)
;D
Which one is Rudy?
;D
I thought about it, but I'm not quite that brave.
Hey, the girls I go with say I'm a grinder!
(please don't tell Kathy I said that)
>:( spent an hour reading this new topic, spent 30 minutes typing a reply concerning my search for Cherokee ancestors of my late Mother-in-law, together with looking up facts to be sure I was posting the right information, the hit the wrong button and POOOOFFFFF. Maybe I'll do it again sometime, but not right now.
I have sent an Email to the head of the Kansas Geological Survey asking about Osage Cuestas at 1,411 feet being the highest point in Elk County, but northwest Elk having much higher elevations, etc.
It would seem the commercial companies are getting this information from official Kansas sources.
I would hope he is in the habit of responding to his Email.
Quote from: flo on August 08, 2007, 10:35:00 AM
>:( spent an hour reading this new topic, spent 30 minutes typing a reply concerning my search for Cherokee ancestors of my late Mother-in-law, together with looking up facts to be sure I was posting the right information, the hit the wrong button and POOOOFFFFF. Maybe I'll do it again sometime, but not right now.
Flo.. sometimes if you don't panic.. you can hit your back button arrow and it will take you back to your post.. I have done that more than a few times..
Then again.. sometimes it doesn't.. but it has saved my butt more times that I care to mention..
If I am typing something like that and it is real long and I want to put it on the foru,.. you might use "notebook " or just a fresh e-mail.. then highlight it all and copy and then paste it in a new post.
Just a suggestion.
I am sorry that you lost all of it. :(
I don't think there is anything more maddening or making me sick to my stomach as to be working on something huge and important..and have my computer lock up... or suddenly become possessed with computer demons and blip out.. with all of my stuff gone.! >:( :'(
I have learned to push that "save" button a whole lot when I am working.. LOL ;)
< nod, nod >
The editor is not exactly the stablest thing. I imagine that they are working on it. After the second time it happened to me, I got so I write all my posts in a text editor and copy and paste them in the posting window. If it is of any help, it seems that it happens mainly after you have clicked somewhere outside the big text box, them put the caret back into the text and start typing somewhere in the middle of the message to add something. Then it acts like one of the first keys that you hit was "Alt" or "Window" and it takes an action based on the "Alt" or "Window" code of the next key you hit.
The word from the Kansas Geological Survey is that Osage Cuestas is the highest named point in Elk County. There may be higher points but they have not been named. The KGS works from information provided by the US Geological Survey. Someone must have run out of names when it came to something higher.
Dan pointed out elevations of up to 1635 feet in Union Center Township and it is right in the corner at the county boundaries with Butler and Greenwood. I do not think there is anything higher. That is 224 feet higher than Osage Cuestas.
I checked river elevations and noted Elk River is at 1485 feet, even higher than Osage Cuestas, at the western Elk County boundary and at 850 feet at the eastern boundary.
Big Caney River is at 1270 feet at its source in western Elk County and at 1030 feet when it enters Chautauqua County.
Fall River is at around 875 feet coming and going in northeast Elk County.
Did you guys ever see the movie, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill, But Came Down A Mountain? You guys sound just like them.
I haven't been on in a while and I saw this topic. I always loved the hills out there, especially out by my old house. Looking towards town was such a pretty view. Who knew that when I moved back to Florida that it was so flat. Thank goodness there a a few hills in the county where I live. Unfortunately there isn't that good of a view though.
You all know that I dearly love the Flint Hills and the country scenes that are so picturesque. But I like living in town these days, simply because I like to see people moving about. I was raised on a farm and wouldn't trade those growing-up years for anything, but Kathy and live a half block off Highway 75 and we love sitting in our shady backyard and watching the traffic go by. Since there's a row of houses between us and the highway, few motorists ever notice us. So, I guess the "view" is relative, isn't it? Nice to see your post, Jensarlou.
I think some people will find contentment no matter where they live.
There are advantages to all sorts of places.
I grew up in a town the size of Howard - was VERY eager to move out.
When I graduated - I moved to Chicago. I loved it! :D
For awhile Jim and I lived north of the Elk City State Park Dam, in the Sycamore area.
Our nearest neighbors were almost a mile away.
Outside of the trees on our property, the nearest trees were a mile away.
We could really see storms moving in. It was beautifully quiet at night. I loved it! :D
Now we live in Howard, just a couple of blocks from downtown.
We're on Washington, so there's a lot of traffic (for Howard).
We're surrounded by trees, and we plant more. I love it! :D
It could be different stages in life, or it could just be finding the good in where we live.
Diane,
Had not seen it nor heard of it, but in trying to find out about the The Englishman Who Went up a Hill, But Came Down a Mountain, I stumbled upon the information on one web site that 1,000 feet constitutes a mountain.
Now the forum will will know that Elk County, Kansas, is full of mountains but Mount Osage Cuestas is the only one named. Who would have thunk it.
Previously, I had come across information that several Ozark Mountains were smaller in height than Osage Cuestas. In view of a mountain height, that information makes more sense.
And to think Mount Everest is only 20.57 times as tall as Elk County's highest named mountain. ;D
Your situation is much like mine. About a block behind us is the K-10 extension, although like you there are trees that partially block the view. We don't hear them much. But it's somehow comforting to sit on the deck and watch the folks go by. It is even better that all there is beyond that is green, just green.
:)
I think it was St. Paul wrote that he tried to be content "in whatsoever state I am in."
But Paul never made visited Texas, at least, to my knowledge. Now that would
test a man's faith.
I lived in Austin (called it Awestin) for a bit over a year once. What that tested was my sanity. Once the Texans and I discovered there was no sanity to test, we all got along fine.
;)