List of city nicknames in Texas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This partial list of city nicknames in Texas compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities in Texas are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to locals, outsiders or their tourism boards. The Texas state legislature has officially granted many Texas cities honorary designations as the state's "capital" of something.[1] City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.[2] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"[3] are also believed to have economic value.[2] Their economic value is difficult to measure,[2] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.[3]

Some of the nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here are those that have been used for such a long time or have gained so wide a currency that they have become well known in their own right.

This mural painting of a cowboy is in Bandera, which is nicknamed "Cowboy Capital of the World".

Nicknames by city[]

A-C[]

  • Abilene
    • The Key City[4]
    • Lene Town (used in hip-hop culture)[5]
  • Alpine – Gateway to the Big Bend[6]
  • Amarillo- The Big Brown Flat,[citation needed] Bomb City (due to proximity to the Pantex facility),[citation needed] Yellow City[citation needed]
  • Anahuac – Alligator Capital of Texas[7][8]
  • Anthony – Leap Year Capital of the World (shared with Anthony, New Mexico)[9]
  • Arlington – The American Dream City[10]
  • Athens – Blackeyed Pea Capital of the World[11]
  • Austin
    • ATX[12]
    • Bat City[13][14]
    • The Capitol City[citation needed]
    • The City of Legends[15]
    • City of the Violet Crown[16]
    • Hippie Haven[17]
    • "Blueberry in the Red State"[18]
    • Live Music Capital of the World[19][20]
    • River City[21]
    • Silicon Hills[12]
    • The Velvet Rut[citation needed]
  • Baird – Antique Capital of Texas[8]
  • Bandera – Cowboy Capital of the World[22]
  • Bertram – Home of the Oatmeal Festival[23]
  • Boerne – Key to the Hill Country[24]
  • Brady – The True Heart of Texas[25]
  • Brackettville – Home of John Wayne's The Alamo[citation needed]
  • Breckenridge – Mural Capital of Texas[8]
  • Brenham – Ice Cream City[8]
  • Brownsville – Chess Capital of Texas[8]
  • Buda – Outdoor Capital of Texas[8]
  • Burnet
    • Bluebonnet co-Capital of Texas (with Llano, TX)[26]
    • It is pronounced BURN-IT, Durn-it, Can't ya LEARN it?[citation needed]
  • Caldwell – Kolache Capital of Texas[8][27]
  • Clifton – Norwegian Capital of Texas[8][28]
  • College Station – Aggieland,[29] Cstat[citation needed]
  • Colorado City – The Heart of West Texas[citation needed]
  • Commerce – Bois d'arc Capital of Texas[8]
  • Corpus Christi – Sparkling City by the Sea[citation needed]
  • Corsicana – Fruit Cake Capital of the World,[30] Cana
  • Crystal City – Spinach Capital of the World[11][23][30]
  • Cuero – Turkey Capital of the World[31]

D-F[]

G-L[]

  • Gainesville – The Front Porch of Texas
  • Galveston – Oleander City,[52] G-town,[citation needed] Galveston Island,[citation needed] Island of Texas[citation needed]
  • Gatesville – Spur Capital of Texas[8]
  • George West – Storyfest Capital of Texas[8]
  • Georgetown – Red Poppy Capital of Texas[8]
  • Gilmer – Home of the Yamboree (refers to yams)[23]
  • Glen Rose – Dinosaur Capital of Texas[8]
  • Gonzales – Lexington of Texas. (The first battle of the Texas Revolution occurred here; the name is a reference to Lexington, Massachusetts, where the American Revolutionary War began.)[53]
  • Hamilton – Dove Capital of Texas[31]
  • Happy – The Town Without a Frown[22][23]
  • Hawkins – Pancake Capital of Texas[8][27]
  • Hearne – Sunflower Capital of Texas[8][11]
  • Hereford – Town Without a Toothache[44][22][23]
  • Houston -- see Nicknames of Houston
  • Huntsville
    • Prison City of Texas (the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is headquartered in Huntsville)[54]
    • Execution Capital of the World/Death Penalty City (Texas' execution chamber is located in Huntsville, and Texas often leads all US states in executions per year; death row was located in Huntsville but later relocated)[54][55][56]
    • Huntsvegas
  • Hutto – Hippo Capital of Texas[8]
  • Jacksonville – Tomato Capital of the World[57]
  • Jasper – Butterfly Capital of Texas[58]
  • Jefferson – Bed and Breakfast Capital of Texas[8]
  • Jones Creek – Historic City of the Future[citation needed]
  • Kaufman – Red Tail Hawk Capital[31]
  • Kenedy
    • Horned Lizard Capital of Texas[8]
    • Texas Horned Lizard Capital of the World[8]
  • Kerrville – Lose Your Heart to the Hills[44]
  • Kilgore – Texas City of Stars[8]
  • Killeen – Kill City[citation needed]
  • Kingsville – Gem City of the Southwest[59]
  • Knox City – Seedless Watermelon Capital of Texas[8]
  • Lake Jackson – The City of Enchantment[60]
  • Laredo
    • The City Under Seven Flags[citation needed]
    • The Gateway City[citation needed]
  • Linden – Music City Texas[citation needed]
  • Llano – Deer Capital of Texas[7]
  • Lockhart – Barbecue Capital of Texas[8][27]
  • Longview – Purple Martin Capital of Texas[8]
  • Lubbock
  • Lufkin – Crossroads of East Texas[citation needed]

M-Q[]

  • Madisonville – Mushroom Capital of Texas[8]
  • Marlin – Hot Mineral Water City of Texas[62]
  • Mauriceville – Crawfish Capital of Texas[8]
  • McAllen
    • City of Palms[63]
    • Square Dance Capital of the World[64]
    • The Texas Tropics[65]
  • McCamey – Wind Energy Capital of Texas[8]
  • Mesquite – Rodeo Capital of Texas[8]
  • Midland
    • Ostrich Capital of Texas[8]
    • The Tall City[66]
    • Petroplex (shared with Odessa)[66]
  • Midlothian – Cement and Steel Capital of Texas[67]
  • Mineola – Birding capital of East Texas[8][31]
  • Mission – Home of the Ruby Red Grapefruit[23]
  • Mineral Wells - Miserable Wells[8]
  • Mount Pleasant – Bass Capital of Texas[68]
  • Nacogdoches – The Oldest Town in Texas[69]
  • Naples – The Watermelon Capital of The World[citation needed]
  • Navasota – Blues Capital of Texas[8]
  • Odessa
    • Jackrabbit Capital of Texas[22] or Jackrabbit-Roping Capital of Texas[8]
    • Petroplex (shared with Midland)[66]
  • Palacios
    • City By The Sea[70]
    • Shrimp Capital of Texas[70]
  • Paris – Crape Myrtle City[8]
  • Plano – Hot Air Balloon Capital of Texas[8]
  • Port Arthur – Energy City[71][72]
  • Quitman – Big Bass Capital of Texas[68]

R-T[]

  • Roanoke – The Unique Dining Capital of Texas[73]
  • Rockwall - Live Music Capital of North Texas
  • Round Rock – Daffodil Capital of Texas[8]
  • San Angelo
    • The End of the Rainbow[74]
    • The Oasis of West Texas[75] (The city is unusual in West Texas for having three rivers and three lakes.)
    • Queen City of Central West Texas[74]
    • Texas' biggest small town[76]
    • Wool Capital[74][75] or the Wool and Mohair Capital of the World[77]
  • San Antonio
  • San Marcos
  • Sanderson – Cactus Capital of Texas[8]
  • Sansom Park – City on the Move[87]
  • Seguin – Pecan Capital of the World[citation needed]
  • Shenandoah – More Than Just a Song[44]
  • Smiley – Poultry Capital of the World[88]
  • Smithville – Heart of the Megalopolis[89]
  • Temple – Wildflower Capital of Texas[8]
  • Terlingua – Chili Capital of the World[30]
  • Texarkana
    • Twice as Nice[citation needed]
    • T-Town[citation needed]
    • Twin City[citation needed]
    • TK[citation needed]
  • Texas City – City by the Bay[90]
  • The Colony – City by the Lake[91]
  • The Woodlands
    • The Hoodlands[citation needed]
    • The Bubble[citation needed]
    • Disney Woods[citation needed]
  • Turkey – Western Swing Capital of the World[22]
  • Tyler – Rose Capital of the World[30]

U-Z[]

  • Victoria – The Crossroads of South Texas[92]
  • Waco – The Buckle of the Bible Belt[93]
  • Waxahachie – Crape Myrtle Capital of Texas,[8] Hachie
  • Weatherford
    • Cutting horse capital of the world.[7][94]
    • Peach Capital of Texas [94]
    • Watermelon Capital of the World.[30]
  • Weslaco – Citrus Capital of Texas[8]
  • West – Czech Heritage Capital of Texas[8]
  • West Tawakoni – Catfish Capital of Texas[8]
  • Wichita Falls – The City That Faith Built, The Falls, Falls Town[citation needed], Fallsvegas
  • Wills Point – Bluebird Capital of Texas[8][31]

See also[]

References[]

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  94. ^ Jump up to: a b Brief History, City of Weatherford website. "Named by the State Legislature as the Peach Capital of Texas, Weatherford and Parker County growers produce the biggest, sweetest, juiciest peaches in all of Texas... Known as the Cutting Horse Capital of the World, Weatherford is home to dozens of professional trainers [and] hall-of-fame horses."

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