From the earliest days of exploration to pivotal moments in politics, war, sports, and culture, November has left a lasting mark on Texas history. The month has witnessed decisive battles of the Texas Revolution, landmark political victories, groundbreaking scientific announcements, and unforgettable moments in the state’s athletic arenas. It’s a time when key events have shaped Texas’ identity, influenced its economy, and connected it to national and global history.
Whether it’s a turning point on the battlefield, a political milestone, or a cultural celebration, these moments tell the story of a state whose history is as vast and varied as its landscape.
| Date | Category | Event |
|---|---|---|
| November 1, 2008 | Sports | Texas Tech upsets No. 1 Texas 39–33 in Lubbock on a last-second Michael Crabtree touchdown. |
| November 2, 1983 | Sports | Houston Oilers trade Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell to the New Orleans Saints. |
| November 3, 1954 | Culture / History | Dedication of the San Jacinto Monument Museum expansion to display Texas Revolution artifacts. |
| November 4, 1835 | War / Texas Revolution | Battle of Lipantitlán. Texian forces defeat Mexican troops near San Patricio. |
| November 5, 1912 | Infrastructure / Transportation | El Paso’s first city-run electric streetcar system begins operation. |
| November 6, 1528 | Exploration | Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca is shipwrecked near present-day Galveston Island. |
| November 7, 1886 | Culture | First State Fair of Texas closes in Dallas after drawing more than 100,000 visitors. |
| November 8, 1894 | Business / Agriculture | Opening of the first Texas Cotton Palace exposition in Waco. |
| November 8, 1994 | Politics | George W. Bush is elected Governor of Texas, defeating Ann Richards. |
| November 9, 1891 | Politics / Military History | Death of Santos Benavides, prominent Laredo leader and highest-ranking Mexican American officer in the Confederacy. |
| November 10, 1914 | Industry / Energy | Fire at the Spindletop oilfield near Beaumont is brought under control. |
| November 11, 1904 | Sports | Texas A&M designates its permanent athletic field, later known as Kyle Field. |
| November 12, 1926 | Transportation | Dallas Love Field officially opens as a city-owned airport. |
| November 13, 1971 | Sports / Infrastructure | The Astrodome hosts its first college football game, University of Houston vs. Texas. |
| November 14, 1961 | Science / Space Exploration | NASA announces Houston as the site of the Manned Spacecraft Center, later the Johnson Space Center. |
| November 15, 1969 | Sports | Texas Longhorns defeat TCU in a key game of their national championship season. |
| November 16, 1973 | Politics / History | LBJ Presidential Library dedicated in Austin, attended by President Richard Nixon. |
| November 17, 1863 | War / Civil War | Battle of Mustang Island. Union forces capture Fort Semmes from Confederate control. |
| November 18, 1999 | Sports / Tragedy | Texas A&M Bonfire collapses during construction, killing 12 and injuring 27. |
| November 19, 1923 | Industry / Energy | Oil discovered in Mexia, Texas, sparking a local economic boom. |
| November 20, 1917 | Military / WWI | Camp Bowie opens in Fort Worth as a major training center for World War I troops. |
| November 21, 1931 | Culture / Science | Texas Memorial Museum dedicated in Austin, focusing on natural history. |
| November 22, 1963 | Politics / National History | President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas. |
| November 23, 1936 | Culture / History | Foundation of the San Jacinto Monument is completed. |
| November 24, 1982 | Business / Transportation | Southwest Airlines becomes the largest intrastate airline in the U.S. |
| November 25, 1842 | War / Border Conflict | Mier Expedition begins as Texian militia crosses into Mexico. |
| November 26, 1835 | War / Texas Revolution | The Grass Fight near Béxar. Texians intercept a Mexican mule convoy carrying fodder instead of silver. |
| November 27, 1917 | Military / WWI | First Texas soldiers depart for France to serve in World War I. |
| November 28, 1884 | Education / Medicine | Founding of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. |
| November 29, 1845 | Politics / Statehood | U.S. Congress passes a joint resolution to admit Texas to the Union. |
| November 30, 1934 | Culture / Event Planning | Dallas chosen as the site for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. |
November 1
2008 — Texas Tech Upsets Texas in Football (Sports): In one of the most thrilling games in Texas college football history, the No. 1 ranked University of Texas Longhorns faced the No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock. With just seconds left, quarterback Graham Harrell connected with Michael Crabtree for a 28-yard touchdown, sealing a 39–33 upset.
Did You Know? That game set a record for the loudest crowd noise ever measured at Jones AT&T Stadium.
November 2
1983 — Houston Oilers Trade Earl Campbell to the New Orleans Saints (Sports): The Oilers traded Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell, a Tyler native, in exchange for a first-round draft pick.
Did You Know? Campbell had led the NFL in rushing yards three times before the trade.
November 3
1954 — Dedication of the San Jacinto Monument Museum Expansion (Culture/History): The expansion allowed for more artifacts from the Texas Revolution to be displayed.
Did You Know? The San Jacinto Monument is 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument
November 4
1835 — Battle of Lipantitlán (War/Texas Revolution): Texian forces defeated Mexican troops near San Patricio during the Texas Revolution, disrupting supply lines.
Did You Know? This victory allowed Texians to strengthen their hold on the Gulf Coast region.
November 5
1912 — El Paso’s First City-Run Streetcar System Begins Operation (Infrastructure/Transportation): Electric streetcars connected neighborhoods and boosted commerce.
Did You Know? The original streetcars were manufactured in St. Louis and shipped to Texas.
November 6
1528 — Cabeza de Vaca Shipwreck (Exploration): Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was shipwrecked near Galveston Island, beginning years of survival and travel across Texas.
Did You Know? He learned multiple Native languages and acted as a trader and healer during his journey.
November 7
1886 — First State Fair of Texas Ends (Culture): Closing day saw over 100,000 visitors in attendance.
Did You Know? The fairgrounds later became part of what is now Fair Park in Dallas.
November 8
1894 — Opening of the First Texas Cotton Palace (Business/Agriculture): Governor James Hogg celebrated the state’s booming cotton trade.
Did You Know? The Cotton Palace operated until 1930, ending due to the Great Depression.
1994 — George W. Bush Elected Governor of Texas (Politics): Bush’s victory over Ann Richards marked a major political shift in the state.
Did You Know? This win came only six years after Bush’s first run for public office, a failed bid for Congress.
November 9
1891 — Death of Santos Benavides (Politics/Military History): Known for defending Laredo against Union forces in 1864.
Did You Know? He refused to fight against Mexico during the French Intervention, showing loyalty to his heritage.
November 10
1914 — Spindletop Oilfield Fire Contained (Industry/Energy): The blaze took days to fully extinguish.
Did You Know? The original Spindletop gusher in 1901 produced more oil than any well in the world at the time.
November 11
1904 — Kyle Field Established (Sports): Designated as Texas A&M’s permanent athletic field.
Did You Know? Kyle Field’s current capacity is over 100,000 seats, making it one of the largest stadiums in the U.S.
November 12
1926 — Dallas Love Field Officially Opens (Transportation): Originally built as a military airbase.
Did You Know? It’s named after Moss L. Love, an Army aviator who died in a training accident.
November 13
1971 — First College Football Game in the Astrodome (Sports/Infrastructure): University of Houston vs. University of Texas.
Did You Know? The Astrodome was nicknamed “The Eighth Wonder of the World” for its size and indoor design.
November 14
1961 — NASA Announces Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston (Science/Space Exploration): Now known as the Johnson Space Center.
Did You Know? Houston’s nickname “Space City” comes directly from this announcement.
November 15
1969 — Texas Longhorns Defeat TCU in National Championship Season (Sports): A crucial win during their undefeated run.
Did You Know? That season ended with the Longhorns winning the Cotton Bowl and the national title.
November 16
1973 — LBJ Presidential Library Dedicated in Austin (Politics/History): Attended by President Richard Nixon.
Did You Know? The library houses over 45 million pages of historical documents.
November 17
1863 — Battle of Mustang Island (War/Civil War): Union forces secured a barrier island on the Texas coast.
Did You Know? The victory gave Union forces better access to blockade Confederate shipping.
November 18
1999 — Aggie Bonfire Collapse (Sports/Tragedy): Construction failure led to 12 deaths and 27 injuries.
Did You Know? The bonfire tradition dated back to 1909.
November 19
1923 — Oil Discovered in Mexia, Texas (Industry/Energy): Sparked a population and economic boom in Limestone County.
Did You Know? The boom lasted until the mid-1920s, then quickly declined.
November 20
1917 — Camp Bowie Opens in Fort Worth (Military/WWI): A major training center for World War I troops.
Did You Know? More than 100,000 soldiers trained there before it closed in 1919.
November 21
1931 — Texas Memorial Museum Dedicated in Austin (Culture/Science): Focused on the state’s natural history.
Did You Know? The museum is part of the University of Texas at Austin campus.
November 22
1963 — Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (Politics/National History): Kennedy was killed in Dallas.
Did You Know? The Texas School Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots, is now a museum.
November 23
1936 — San Jacinto Monument Foundation Completed (Culture/History): The structure commemorates the Battle of San Jacinto.
Did You Know? It stands 567 feet tall, making it the world’s tallest masonry column.
November 24
1982 — Southwest Airlines Becomes Largest Intrastate Airline (Business/Transportation): Expanded operations solidified its dominance in Texas air travel.
Did You Know? At the time, all its flights were within Texas.
November 25
1842 — Mier Expedition Begins (War/Border Conflict): Texian militia launched an incursion into Mexico.
Did You Know? About one in ten captured Texans were executed after the Black Bean Episode.
November 26
1835 — The Grass Fight (War/Texas Revolution): Ambushed convoy carried grass, not silver.
Did You Know? Despite no silver, it kept Texian morale high during the siege.
November 27
1917 — First Texas Soldiers Depart for France in WWI (Military/WWI): Troops from Camp Bowie sailed for Europe.
Did You Know? Many served in the 36th Infantry Division, known as the “Texas Division.”
November 28
1884 — University of Texas Medical Branch Founded (Education/Medicine): Established in Galveston to train doctors and advance medical research.
Did You Know? It’s the oldest academic health center in Texas.
November 29
1845 — U.S. Congress Passes Resolution to Admit Texas to the Union (Politics/Statehood): Paved the way for Texas’ admission as the 28th state.
Did You Know? Texas is the only state to join the U.S. as an independent nation.
November 30
1934 — Dallas Chosen for 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition (Culture/Event Planning): The city was selected over Houston and San Antonio.
Did You Know? The exposition attracted more than six million visitors.
November’s moments remind us that Texas history is never static. Each date represents a decision made, a challenge faced, or a tradition started that still echoes in the present. Some of these events reshaped the state’s economy or political landscape. Others became symbols of Texas pride, endurance, or innovation.