176 Years

Today is Texas Independence Day.  But since we're new to Texas, I can't speak with any authority about the origin of the holiday, here's what I was able to glean from a quick Google search:

"On this day in 1836, Texas became a republic. On March 1 delegates from the seventeen Mexican municipalities of Texas and the settlement of Pecan Point met at Washington-on-the-Brazos to consider independence from Mexico. George C. Childress presented a resolution calling for independence, and the chairman of the convention appointed Childress to head a committee of five to draft a declaration of independence. In the early morning hours of March 2, the convention voted unanimously to accept the resolution. After fifty-eight members signed the document, Texas became the Republic of Texas."

(And for Paul Harvey fan's - yes, I'm old, here's the "rest of the story"): "The Republic of Texas was annexed to the U.S. by joint resolution of the U.S. Congress nine years after the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed.  The US Congress then admitted Texas as a constituent state of the Union on December 29, 1845. 


Texas Independence Day is an official holiday in Texas. Sam Houston Day is also observed on March 2, marking the birthday of the man who led the Texans to victory over Mexican troops at the battle of San Jacinto."