On August 1st one of the earliest recorded instances was in 1731 when Captain Juan Antonio Pérez de Almazán oversaw what could likely be the first election in Texas. The election took place at the San Antonio de Béxar Presidio, where voters chose officials for the municipal government of San Fernando.
In 1839, a significant development occurred in Austin, the capital of Texas at the time. The first sale of town lots was held, marking an important step in the expansion and growth of the city.
Historically, Texas has had its fair share of tensions with Mexico, and on August 1, 1845, U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor landed on St. Joseph Island to protect Texas from Mexican interference. The U.S. flag was raised on July 26 by a detachment from the main force.
Moving forward to 1923, Niles City was annexed to Fort Worth. This happened after the Texas Legislature passed a bill that allowed cities with a population of over 50,000 to absorb neighboring towns of less than 2,000. This process of annexation was significant for the growth and development of Fort Worth.
Another notable event in Texas history occurred on August 1, 1961, when Six Flags Over Texas opened its doors in Arlington. This amusement park was the first of its kind in the Six Flags chain, providing Texans with a new form of entertainment and attracting visitors from far and wide.
Sadly, not all events in Texas history have been positive. On August 1, 1966, tragedy struck when Charles Joseph Whitman took to a tower at the University of Texas at Austin and shot and killed fifteen people, with 31 others sustaining injuries. Whitman was eventually killed by the police, but the incident is remembered as one of the darkest moments in Texas history.
In 1985, another tragic event occurred at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. A Delta Air Lines jumbo jet crashed while attempting to land, resulting in the loss of 137 lives. This devastating event served as a reminder of the risks associated with air travel.