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5 Historical Facts You Didn't Know About DFW

September 14, 2015 / 7:00 AM CDT / CBS Texas

The DFW area holds a number of interesting distinctions and facts that makes it a strong part of history. Located in the third largest town in the second largest state in the United States, Dallas has its own history and lore and with over 30 million domestic visitors each year converging on the town, there is plenty of history to behold. While everyone knows about the JFK assassination and the local sports teams, here are five historical facts you might not know about the DFW area.

Bonnie And ClydeWhen Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were on their crime spree they went all over the southern regions of the United States, but they both called Dallas their home. Bonnie lived with her mother in Oak Lawn when she joined up with Clyde and started her life of crime. After their deaths, Bonnie was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery and Clyde in Western Heights Cemetery, both in Dallas. DFW Historical Tours also offers a Bonnie and Clyde Tour that takes tourists to all the Dallas area businesses and locations that hold ties with the legendary outlaws.

The State Fair Of Texas Only Cancels During the WarThe State Fair of Texas has taken place in Dallas every year since 1886 and has only closed its doors in five years during that tenure. The state cancelled the fair in 1918 during World War I and then again from 1942 through 1946 during World War II. During the State Fair of Texas, one of the biggest college football rivalries takes place at the Cotton Bowl on the fair grounds as the Oklahoma Sooners battles the Texas Longhorns. Dallas is located in the middle of Austin, Texas and Norman, Oklahoma, and the game itself has taken place at the fair every year since 1932. The stadium is split down the middle, so one half is red and the other is orange.

Barney The Dinosaur Was Born In TexasBarney the purple dinosaur was at the same time one of the most popular children's television characters and also one of the most ridiculed. The character that loved everyone was also created by a woman named Sheryl Leach in Dallas in 1987. She created a series of home videos, and soon her videos caught the eye of a producer who helped her move the show to PBS. Not only was the show created in Dallas, but it was taped for years in the DFW area, first in Allen, then in Irving and later in Carrollton.

Texas Has Flown Six Different Nation's FlagsSix different nations have ruled over Texas through its history. The first country to lay claim to the state was Spain, followed by France and then Mexico. There was a giant war of independence where Texas gained its freedom and became its own Republic. After that, it joined the United States and flew both the Confederate Flag, and then after the Civil War, the U.S. Flag. In the DFW area is an amusement park called Six Flags Over Texas, and this is where that amusement park gained its name.

Texas Is Larger Than Any Country In EuropeTexas is the second largest state in the United States, behind only Alaska. Despite this, Dallas alone is six times more populous than the entire state of Alaska. Texas is also over 100,000 square miles larger than California. For the DFW area, Dallas is the ninth most populous city in the United States as well, with San Antonio and Houston also in the top 10. Also, Texas is larger than all the individual countries in Europe, and if it was once again its own country it would rank 40th in the world in terms of land.

Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer who graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He writes for a variety of national publications and has over 15 years of sports journalism experience. Follow Shawn on Twitter @sslealos. Examiner.com.