Bluebonnet (plant)
Bluebonnet is a name given to any number of blue-flowered species of the genus "Lupinus" predominantly found in southwestern United States and is collectively the state flower of Texas. The shape of the petals on the flower resembles the bonnet worn by pioneer women to shield them from the sun.
Species often called bluebonnets include:On March 7, 1901, "Lupinus subcarnosus" became the only species of bluebonnet recognized as the state flower of Texas; however, "Lupinus texensis" emerged as the favorite of most Texans. So, in 1971, the Texas Legislature made any similar species of "Lupinus" that could be found in Texas the state flower.
Blue Mound, Texas
The community's history dates back to the 1920s, when Scottish immigrant John Kennedy established Globe Laboratories, Inc. to produce serum to immunize cattle against blackleg, a disease that affected calves under two years of age. About ten years later, he sold the company to his partner. Kennedy later purchased of land in an area bordered by East McLeroy Boulevard on the north and FM 156 (Blue Mound Road) to the east. His interest in aircraft led him to create the Globe Aircraft Company. As his operation grew, more and more people began to settle near his plant. The settlement was initially known as Saginaw Park, but later took the name Blue Mound after a nearby hill. During the 1950s, Bell Helicopter used the Kennedy facility to develop its new helicopters, but the company left the facility in 1960. Blue Mound incorporated in 1957 and had a population of 1,253 by the 1960 census. That figure had risen to 1,283 by 1970 and 2,169 in 1980 as the city became a bedroom community for those employed in Fort Worth and the surrounding area. The 1990 census showed a slight decline in population, to 2,133. By 2000, the number of inhabitants had risen to 2,388.