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Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the biggest capital city in Travis County, with sections extending into Williamson and Hays counties.
Since 2010, this city has grown so much that it has become one of the largest cities in America. The distance between the downtown areas of Austin and San Antonio, located along Interstate 35, is around 80 miles. Some analysts think the two areas may merge to create a new “metroplex” similar to Dallas and Fort Worth.
Austin is a fantastic city to visit or to live in, with several beautiful locations that have turned it into a tourist magnet. In the following article, we will learn more about what makes it unique. Keep reading to find out!
Austin Population
Austin’s expected population for the past year was around 965,000, according to the census’s projection in 2020, which determined that its current population was 961,855. It is one of the cities with the fastest growth in America, as it has experienced an expansion of around 80% since 2000.
Those who live in Austin are proudly called Austinites. Moreover, this city is the perfect home for several types of people from many professions, such as blue-collar workers, government people, college students, singers, high-tech workers, musicians, and internet marketers. Austin’s official motto, “The Live Music Capital of the World,” directly relates to the city’s highly diverse live performers, who you can see if you decide to explore the city’s nightlife. Tourists who love music will find this highly appealing, as they’ll enjoy all the live music venues and the PBS TV concert series Austin City Limits.
Austin History
People have lived in Austin, Travis County, and Williamson County since 9200 BC. The region’s first residents were connected to the Clovis civilization circa 9200 BC and lived throughout the late Pleistocene.
However, its main population before colonization consisted of the Tonkawa tribe. Scientists also found evidence that the Comanches and Lipan Apaches passed through the region. Spanish colonists got to Austin, TX, and built some long-term colonies during the Espinosa-Olivares-Aguirre expedition.
Now, jumping to the 19th century, we get to the construction of the seventh-largest building in the world. The state capital building, built in 1888, brought much attention to the city, especially from tourists who wanted to see the building.
Moreover, during that same century, the first granite dam of the city was built on the Colorado River to power a new street car line and the new “moon towers.” This was caused by the expansion of Austin’s city limits, which now included an area more than three times larger than before. Sadly, the first dam collapsed on April 7, 1900, due to flooding.
Over the years, Austin started focusing on improving its image and becoming more appealing to others. This was achieved through several construction projects which molded Austin into the 1928 Austin city plan in the late 1920s and early 1930s. During this time, most of the city’s infrastructure and many of its parks were built.
However, Austin’s history isn’t 100% cute and wonderful, as many people were victims of racism. This is because a three-way system of social segregation developed in the early 20th century, in which Anglo, African American, and Mexican people were divided by law and couldn’t interact with each other in several spheres of life, such as healthcare, education, and housing. Many municipal development projects started during this time, such as hospitals, roads, and schools, were created to perpetuate this segregation.
Another huge event in Austin’s history was The Texas Oil Boom, which began in the early 20th century. This event made Southeast Texas and North Texas one of the main economic focuses, which increased the city’s wealth much more than in previous years. However, Austin initially missed out on most of the expansion brought on by this boom, which is why it grew less than other Texan cities during these years.
Austin’s steady expansion continued after the Great Depression, which caused a significant halt in economic activity. After the first half of the 20th century, Austin established itself as one of the main cities in Texas and America.
Austin City Nowadays
Austin’s most important and well-known buildings are the University of Texas Main Building and the Texas State Capitol. Several new high-rise structures have been built since the 2000s. You can still see Austin’s sky perfectly because all these buildings are appropriately distributed across the city.
One of the main attractions of this city is the Moonlight towers, constructed to brighten the skyline and provide “artificial moonlight” to some poorly illuminated areas. These towers built during the late 19th century are historical sites. However, only 15 of Austin’s original 31 Moonlight towers are still in perfect condition.
Austin is in the heart of an interesting transitional zone between the desert-like Southwest of the United States and the Southeast regions, filled with vegetation and a humid climate. It is a highly diverse city in terms of flora and fauna, so that you can enjoy all the fantastic elements. It is sunny most of the year, so you won’t have to worry about rain ruining your plans.
The Bottom Line
Austin, TX, is a place filled with history and culture, which is perfect for anyone who may want to visit or even live there. Moreover, Travis County shares most of these excellent characteristics. Therefore, if you want to enjoy a lifetime of music and 300 days of sunshine, please consider visiting this beautiful city.
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