Strangest State
Strangest State: A Mysterious Monolith and a Fat Cat
The latest from far-flung Texas.
From the March/April 2021 issue. LUBBOCK // A Lubbock family awoke early one morning to the sound of an alarm, triggered when a window in their spare bedroom ...Read More
Strangest State: Fashionable Critters and Creepy Heirlooms
Plus, a dog from Plano shot his owner in the leg.
LUBBOCK // A hairless opossum in Lubbock became a viral sensation after the local animal shelter asked the public for fashion advice for the critter. KLBK repor...Read More
A Weird End for a Weird Year: Our Eight Favorite Strange Texas Stories of 2020
A wild horse chase, an alligator with a big appetite, and a cloned cat made this year a little stranger—in a good way.
As we near the end of 2020, we can only hope this cursed year has no more curve balls to throw our way. After all, we’ve weathered a global pandemic that has ...Read More
Strangest State: Everybody Loves Whataburger
Weird news from far-flung Texas.
ARANSAS PASS // A small alligator with a big appetite sauntered into an Aransas Pass Whataburger expecting a late-night meal, KRIS 6 News reports. The ravenous ...Read More
Strangest State: Mysterious Seeds and a Longhorn on the Moon
Weird news from far-flung Texas.
LUBBOCK // A wild horse led police on an hourslong chase through North Lubbock on July 11. The mare was adopted as part of a longstanding federal initiative to ...Read More
Strangest State: Bear With Us
Weird news from far-flung Texas.
SAN YGNACIO // One May night in Zapata County, a game camera at the SpinTech-Myers Ranch captured the image of a mysterious, four-legged figure. Ranch managers ...Read More
Strangest State: Dispatch From the Great Candy War
Weird news from far-flung Texas.
WACO // A candy factory created the world’s largest chocolate bar, only to have the title stolen by a rival. Workers at the Mars Wrigley Confectionery in Waco...Read More
A Real Quackmire: This Month in Weird Texas News
From Muscovy ducks in Pearland to a detective agency devoted to cooking grease theft in Irving, it's been another weird month, y'all.
PEARLAND // An abundance of invasive ducks is ruffling feathers in this Houston suburb. Flocks of Muscovy ducks roam the streets, waddling in front of cars, tea...Read More
It’s Been Weird, Y’all: Our 10 Favorite Strange Texas Stories of 2019
A monkey on the loose, a sharpshooting great-grandmother, activist witches, and more quirky news stories that caught our eye this year.
The Observer is best known for longform investigations on serious subjects. Our reporters and editors spend months immersed in heavy topics like rural suicide a...Read More
Strangest State: 18-Hole Hog, Spike the Poodle’s Big Adventure, and Fowl News
Weird news from far-flung Texas.
SAN ANTONIO // A 400-pound feral hog roamed free on a South San Antonio golf course—until management called in the big guns. Wyatt Walton is co-owner of Lone ...Read More