Why Hutto, Texas Has So Many Hippos and Loves Them All

We've all seen different animals in the state of Texas. But for one city in the state, there's a specific one everybody knows. What could it be?

Which City In Texas Are We Talking About?

The city is none other than Hutto, Texas. Near Austin, some of us may have passed through it or visited it recently in the Central Texas area. But what animal could those in Hutto love so dearly?

Is it perhaps a Bear? Or possibly a Longhorn? After all, they are close to the University of Texas!

No, instead the animal is none other than...a hippo? What?

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Why Does Hutto Love Hippos, And Why Are There So Many Of Them?

To find out, we turn to the official website of the city. Per the city, in the year 1915, a train affiliated with a circus stopped in the city to handle multiple things. The one thing that was brought to everyone's attention though? A hippopotamus no less.

While the circus workers onboard were making sure that the animals were ok, one lone hippo decided to make a break for it. The hippo ended up in Cottonwood Creek, and not only caused headaches for trains themselves, but the people trying to get the animal back on the train itself!

While the animal and train were eventually reunited, the mark by the hippo was bigger for Hutto than anyone could imagine. Eight years later, in 1923, the city made the hippopotamus it's official mascot.

But more than that, the city has a massive amount of statues of hippos. How many you ask? Over 10,000!