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How burnt orange became one of Texas' most iconic colors

Dating back to the 1800s, burnt orange began to make its name for the Longhorns.

AUSTIN, Texas — If you live in Austin, you know burnt orange holds a special place in this city's heart.

Burnt orange is the color that dons our precious University of Texas Longhorns. But, how did that iconic color get its start with the school? 

Head to the University of Texas campus or to a football game at the Darrell K Royal Stadium and you'll see burnt orange everywhere!

It all began in 1885 because of someone by the name of Gussie Brown from Orange, Texas.

Her and some other students were headed to the Longhorns' first baseball game when they decided they needed something to identify themselves! So, they ran to a store to get some hair ribbon and walked out with orange ribbons. 

The team lost, but the color won. 

From then until 1899, orange and white were common at games. It finally became official when the Board of Regents decided to hold a vote to decide.

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After an overwhelmingly amount of votes for orange and white, the colors stuck! 

It started out as a brighter orange but grew darker as the university grew older. In 1925, the university officially decided to change the color. That's because other schools, like the University of Tennessee, also adopted orange and white.

To stand out, the university mixed the color and that's when the color as we know it came to be: burnt orange.

Now, over the years, the shade of orange has changed. But, one thing's for sure – it's iconic to our beloved Longhorns.

WATCH: How Texas mascot Bevo got his name

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