Austin Overview

As the state capitol of Texas, Austin is located in the Hill Country of Central Texas and home to the massive University of Texas at Austin campus. The city lies on the banks of the Colorado River and has a population soaring above 700,000. Known as the Live Music Capitol of the World, Austin is a lively city with frequent events and nearly nightly live music at 200+ venues scattered throughout the city. The spring-time South by South West (SXSW) festival is a huge happening in Austin and brings filmmakers, musicians, and multi-media artists together in a week-long events, performances, and concerts. Austinites are comprised of an eclectic mix of individuals with university students and professors, musicians, high-tech workers, and state employees all calling Austin home. Recreational activities about in Austin with a great network of city parks in addition to water activities with the Colorado River and and three man-made lakes within the city including Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Walter E. Long. Head west out of the city to Texas Hill Country where the rolling hills create a beautiful backdrop to the city known for its alternative lifestyle and charming character.

Austin History

The first settlements in the Austin area were known to be those of the Tonkawa, Comanche, and Lipan Apache tribes who lived in the region before European settlers arrived. It wasn't until the late 1700s that the Spanish explored the area and set up various religious missions. In 1835, the first recorded permanent settlement was established along the shores of the Colorado River. The small town of Waterloo was founded in 1837 with the help of Edward Burleson, a veteran from the War of 1812, and Stephen F. Austin, who negotiated land boundary treaties with local Native American tribes. Waterloo became the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1839 under the direction of its president, Mirabeau B. Lamar, who also decided to re-name the city after Stephen F. Austin. In 1845, the Republic of Texas was admitted as a state to the U.S., thanks to the work and vision of its new president, Anson Jones. The famous Texas State Capitol building was completed in 1888, in the location that was specified in the city plan of 1839.

In the 1970s, Austin began its growth into one of the country's great musical hotspots. Many country and western singers and songwriters migrated to Austin to escape the music industry's corporate domination of nearby Nashville, Tennessee. Thanks to well-known musicians such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson, and Janis Joplin, Austin became a place where struggling musicians could go to grow their careers in the city's many popular and respected live venues.