How well do you know the SWASFAA region? Here are some fun facts about the area you might not know!

Fun Facts about New Mexico

• Las Cruces makes the world’s largest enchilada the first weekend in October at the “Whole Enchilada Fiesta”.
• The leaves of the Yucca, New Mexico’s state flower, can be used to make rope, baskets and sandals.
• The Navajo, the Nation’s largest Native American Group, have a reservation that covers 14 million Acres.
• New Mexico has far more sheep and cattle than people. There are only about 12 people per square mile.

Fun Facts about Arkansas

• Since the 1830's, the area now known as Hot Springs National Park has bathed notables as diverse as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, and Al Capone. The park is entirely surrounded by the city of Hot Springs, the boyhood home of President Bill Clinton.
• Ouachita National Forest reigns as the oldest national forest in the South.
• Famous singer Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland.
• The geographic center of the state is located in Pulaski, 12 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Fun Facts about Texas

• The King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode Island.
• Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
• Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. The Dublin Dr Pepper, 85 miles west of Waco, still uses pure imperial cane sugar in its product. There is no period after the Dr in Dr Pepper.
• Texas comes from the Hasinai Indian word tejas meaning friends or allies.

Fun Facts about Louisiana

• In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is considered a simple assault, but biting someone with your false teeth is considered an aggravated assault.
• Rayne is known as the “The Frog Capital of the World”.
• In 1718, the French found New Orleans and marked “Cannes Brulee” on maps upriver in the area known today as the City of Kenner. French for “Burnt Canes”, Cannes Brulee was a name given by explorers who observed natives burning cane to drive out wild game.
• bayou: \BUY-you\ n. a French name for slow-moving “river”

Fun Facts about Oklahoma

• During a tornado in Ponca City, a man and his wife were carried aloft in their house by a tornado. The walls and roof were blown away. But the floor remained intact and eventually glided downward, setting the couple safely back on the ground.
• Okmulgee owns the world record for largest pecan pie, pecan cookie, pecan brownie, and biggest ice cream and cookie party. Each June, Okmulgee rolls out the welcome mat to thousands of its closest friends as the annual Pecan Festival comes to town.
• Oklahoma is one of only two states whose capital city's name includes the state name. The other is Indianapolis, Indiana.
• Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state, with over one million surface acres of water.

table of contents