List of city nicknames in Texas

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.Official Capital Designations , Texas State Library and Archives Commission, accessed July 3, 2008 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. Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth" are also believed to have economic value. Their economic value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City , MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007

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.

Nicknames by city A-C Abilene The Key CityThe nickname is used in the title of a book, Abilene, The Key City, by Juanita Daniel Zachry, published in 1986 by Windsor Publications in cooperation with the Texas Sesquicentennial Committee for Abilene.b/OL2714832M/Abilene,-the-key-city Lene Town (used in hip-hop culture)Barry Popik, Lene Town (Abilene nickname) , March 13, 2008 Alpine – Gateway to the Big BendMessage from the Mayor , Alpine, Texas, accessed April 22, 2007. ""We are a town of western culture and heritage, home of Sul Ross State University and the gateway to the Big Bend." Amarillo- The Big Brown Flat, Bomb City (due to proximity to the Pantex facility), Yellow City Anahuac – Alligator Capital of TexasClaims to Fame - Animals , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.A symbolic "capital" designated by the Texas Legislature, listed in Official Capital Designations , Texas State Library and Archives Commission, accessed July 3, 2008 Anthony – Leap Year Capital of the World (shared with Anthony, New Mexico)World Wide Leap Year Birthday Club in Anthony TX/NM the Leap Year Capital of the World Arlington – The American Dream CityArlington Texas City Website , ArlingtonTXGov, accessed November 5, 2018. Athens – Blackeyed Pea Capital of the WorldClaims to Fame - Agriculture , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. Austin ATX Bat CityWelcome to Bat Conservation International The Capitol City The City of Legends City of the Violet Crown Hippie Haven "Blueberry in the Red State" Live Music Capital of the WorldU.S. City Monikers , Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008 River City Silicon Hills The Velvet Rut Baird – Antique Capital of Texas Bandera – Cowboy Capital of the WorldClaims to Fame - Favorites , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. Bells Crossroads of Friendliness Bertram – Home of the Oatmeal Festival Boerne – Key to the Hill Country Brady – The True Heart of TexasVisitor's Information , Brady/McCulloch County Community Development Office website, accessed December 12, 2010 Brackettville – Home of John Wayne's The Alamo Breckenridge – Mural Capital of Texas Brenham – Ice Cream City Brownsville – Chess Capital of Texas Buda – Outdoor Capital of Texas Burnet Bluebonnet co-Capital of Texas (with Llano, TX) It is pronounced BURN-IT, Durn-it, Can't ya LEARN it? Caldwell – Kolache Capital of TexasClaims to Fame - Food , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. Clifton – Norwegian Capital of TexasClaims to Fame - Ethnic Groups , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. College Station – Aggieland, Cstat Colorado City – The Heart of West Texas Commerce – Bois d'arc Capital of Texas Corpus Christi – Sparkling City by the Sea Corsicana – Fruit Cake Capital of the World, Cana Crystal City – Spinach Capital of the World Cuero – Turkey Capital of the WorldClaims to Fame - Birds , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.

D-F Dallas Big DHall, Cheryl "Perot Museum makes a statement about business in Big D" The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, 1 November 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012. City of Hate D-Town Metroplex (with Fort Worth) Pegasus City Triple D DTX Danevang – Danish Capital of Texas Deer Park – The Birthplace of Texas Denison – Wine Root Stock Capital of the World Denton Little Austin Little D Redbud Capital of Texas Dickens – Wild Boar Capital Dublin – Irish Capital of Texas Duncanville – City of ChampionsClaims to Fame - Braggadocio , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. Eagle Lake – Goose Hunting Capital of the WorldEagle Lake, Texas official website, accessed December 25, 2008 Eagle Pass – Where Yee-Ha Meets OléTagline Guru City Branding Survey , Tagline Guru website, accessed August 18, 2009 El Paso The City With a LegendBased on the lyrics of Marty Robbins' song El Paso City Chuco Town El ChucoAmazon.com's Description of Brides And Sinners in El Chuco: Short Stories quotes Publishers Weekly: "El Paso is El Chuco ("the disgusting one") to locals of the border town where Granados sets the 15 stories of this debut." EPT The Sun CityCity of El Paso website , accessed June 15, 2010. "Mild weather and below average cost of living has attracted several new residents and businesses to the Sun City." Electra – Pump Jack Capital of Texas Elgin – Sausage Capital of Texas Ennis – Bluebonnet City Falfurrias - Land of Heart's Delight Floresville – Peanut Capital of Texas , accessed April 25, 2013 Flower Mound – FloMo Floydada – Pumpkin Capital Fort Davis – Where the Stars Come Out to Play Fort Worth Cowtown Fort Worth, Texas , Handbook of Texas History Online Funky Town Panther City Metroplex (with Dallas) Queen City of the PrairieOliver Knight and Cissy Stewart Lale (1953) Fort Worth , Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, page 109: "Fort Worth in 1880 was being hailed as the Queen City of the Prairie." Fort Crunk Where the West Begins The Big Juicy The Fort Fredericksburg Fritztown Polka Capital of Texas Friona – Cheeseburger Capital of Texas Frisco - Sports City, USA

G-L Gainesville – The Front Porch of Texas Galveston Oleander CityQueen City,Time (magazine), January 30, 1928, accessed April 13, 1928. G-town Galveston Island Galvatraz Gatesville – Spur Capital of Texas George West – Storyfest Capital of Texas Georgetown – Red Poppy Capital of Texas Gilmer – Home of the Yamboree (refers to yams) Glen Rose – Dinosaur Capital of Texas 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.)Handbook of Texas Online - GONZALES, TX , accessed June 15, 2008 Grapevine – Christmas Capital of Texas Hamilton – Dove Capital of Texas Happy – The Town Without a Frown Hawkins – Pancake Capital of Texas Hearne – Sunflower Capital of Texas Hebbronville - Vaquero Capital of Texas Hereford – Town Without a Toothache Houston -- see Nicknames of Houston Huntsville Prison City of Texas (the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is headquartered in Huntsville) 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)Huntsville: Death Capital , Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Episode 637, May 16, 2003Karla Faye's Final Stop: How my hometown deals with being the execution capital of the world , Christianity Today, July 13, 1998 Huntsvegas Bluntsville Hutto – Hippo Capital of Texas Jacksonville – Tomato Capital of the WorldTomato Capital of the World (online book advertisement); accessed October 5, 2009 Jasper – Butterfly Capital of Texas Jefferson – Bed and Breakfast Capital of Texas Jones Creek – Historic City of the Future Kaufman – Red Tail Hawk Capital Kenedy Horned Lizard Capital of Texas Texas Horned Lizard Capital of the World Kerrville – Lose Your Heart to the Hills, Heavens Waiting Room Kilgore – Texas City of Stars Killeen – Kill City Kingsville – Gem City of the SouthwestHistoric Downtown Kingsville website, accessed August 17, 2008 Knox City – Seedless Watermelon Capital of Texas Lake Jackson – The City of EnchantmentHistory of Lake Jackson , City of Lake Jackson website, accessed August 26, 2011 Laredo The City Under Seven Flags The Gateway City Linden – Music City Texas Llano – Deer Capital of Texas Lockhart – Barbecue Capital of Texas Longview – Purple Martin Capital of Texas Lubbock Hub CityBarry Popik, Hub of the Plains (Lubbock nickname) , March 14, 2008. BarryPopik.com. Accessed February 8, 2012 Hub of the Plains Lufkin – Crossroads of East Texas

M-Q Madisonville – Mushroom Capital of Texas Mansfield - Murdafield Marlin – Hot Mineral Water City of Texas Mauriceville – Crawfish Capital of Texas McAllen City of Palmshttps://visitmcallen.com/about-us/history/ VisitMcAllen.com Square Dance Capital of the WorldAtul Gawande, The Cost Conundrum, The New Yorker, June 1, 2009, page 36 The Texas TropicsDid You Know... , McAllen Economic Development Corporation website McCamey – Wind Energy Capital of Texas Mercedes - The Queen City Mesquite – Rodeo Capital of Texas Midland Ostrich Capital of Texas The Tall CityMidland/Odessa, TX: History, Rand McNally.com, accessed September 8, 2010 Petroplex (shared with Odessa) Midlothian – Cement and Steel Capital of TexasClaims to Fame - Products , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. Mineola – Birding capital of East Texas Mission – Home of the Ruby Red Grapefruit Mineral Wells - Miserable Wells Mount Pleasant – Bass Capital of TexasClaims to Fame - Fish , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. Nacogdoches – The Oldest Town in TexasCity of Nacogdoches website , accessed September 10, 2010 Naples – The Watermelon Capital of The World Navasota – Blues Capital of Texas New Fairview - Keeping It Country Odessa Jackrabbit Capital of Texas or Jackrabbit-Roping Capital of Texas Petroplex (shared with Midland) Palacios City By The SeaWelcome to Palacios, Texas , accessed May 6, 2011 Shrimp Capital of Texas Paris – Crape Myrtle City Plano – Hot Air Balloon Capital of Texas Port Arthur – Energy CityKatherine Ling, Buoyed by fresh petrodollars, 'Energy City' dares to hope , Greenwire (E&E Publishing), June 2, 2008. "Battered by the petroleum industry's decline in the 1980s and hit hard by Hurricane Rita in 2005, the self-proclaimed "Energy City" has struggled for years with high unemployment, crime and pollution."David Ball, Group wants to bring solar energy to Port Arthur , Port Arthur News, December 2, 2008. "Chatman said Port Arthur still wants to be known as energy city." Quitman – Big Bass Capital of Texas

R-T Roanoke – The Unique Dining Capital of Texas Rockwall - Live Music Capital of North Texas Round Rock – Daffodil Capital of Texas San Angelo The End of the RainbowSan Angelo, Texas, in 1922 , Ranch & Rural Living magazine, 15 January 2008 The Oasis of West TexasA Changed Oasis , Short Grass Country website. "In a deft switch of wording, San Angelo changed its slogan from The Wool Capital Of The World to The Wool Capital Of The Nation. The Chamber of Commerce office confirmed the change. While I waited, the telephone tape said over and over, 'San Angelo is the oasis of West Texas'..." (The city is unusual in West Texas for having three rivers and three lakes.) Queen City of Central West Texas Texas' biggest small townExtreme Makeover: San Angelo. ASU Students Surprised by Stores, Shopping now Available , ASU RamPage, Angelo State University, September 9, 2005 Wool Capital or the Wool and Mohair Capital of the WorldOur Properties: Sunset Mall, San Angelo Texas , Willett Companies, Inc., website, accessed December 25, 2008