Austin, the City
Facts
Population: 567,000 (metro area 1.1 million)
Area: 218 sq miles (565 sq km)
Elevation: 550ft (165m)
State: Texas
Time Zone: Central Time (GMT/UTC minus 6 hours)
Telephone area code: 361 & 512
Climate & Weather
The climate for Austin is temperate. Most people
love Austin weather!
The average low temperature is 47 degrees F.
The average high temperature is 69 degrees F.
This doesn’t really accurately reflect the climate because in the summer in can
get to the 110's and in the winter it can fall below the 30's
History
Named for Stephen F. Austin, the "Father of Texas," the Austin area was founded
when five scouts went out looking for a new capital city for the Republic of
Texas. They chose an area on the north bank of the Colorado River. At the time
they surveyed the area, a few families lived in a settlement called Waterloo.
The city was "official" when the archives and the furniture of the Republic were
moved to Austin from Houston around September 1, 1839.
The founding of Austin: 1839
Come visit Austin
Austin is live music, high tech, politics, the
University of Texas, and a whole lot more.
Say the word "Austin" and a myriad of images come to mind. The capital of Texas.
Most recent home of President George W. Bush. Heart of the technology industry's
Silicon Hills. Live Music Capital of the World. Longhorn football. Rolling
landscapes and sparkling lakes. Hip, cool, trendy.
The essence of Austin emanates from its self-contradictions. Along with its chic
sophistication, Austin possesses a laid-back attitude. At the most elegant
restaurants in town, diners show up in everything from haute couture to t-shirts
and shorts. A Mecca for the cultural arts, the city also protects its outdoor
treasures such as Barton Springs Pool. In downtown, ultra-modern office towers
rise high above century-old historic landmarks. It's still a small town at heart
that has grown into a big city over the past two decades.
Naturally Beautiful
With a river running through it and a mild
year-round climate, Austin prides itself on natural beauty. Greenbelts,
waterways and pockets of undeveloped land create a unique verdant landscape.
With constant 68-degree waters, Barton Springs Pool remains the favorite place
in town to cool off on a hot summer's day. Town Lake, the southernmost in a
series of seven manmade lakes along the Lower Colorado River, bisects the heart
of downtown. Some 10 miles of hike-and-bike trails encircle the lake. Pres. Bush
routinely jogged here while still governor of Texas. Farther upstream, Lake
Austin and Lake Travis attract boaters, fishermen, water-skiers, windsurfers and
even scuba divers.
Historically Rich
Originally a buffalo hunting ground favored by
Tonkawa Indians, Austin was originally named Waterloo for all the springs and
creeks. Now more than a million people live in the city renamed to honor Stephen
F. Austin, known as the "Father of Texas."
The city's historical importance comes alive in such places as the Texas State
Cemetery, the final resting place of many prominent Texans; Bremond Block, an
area of stately 19th century mansions; the antebellum Governor's Mansion; and
more than 220 other landmarks. The new Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
chronicles the colorful history of Texas.
Culturally Appealing
Austin is one of a handful of U.S. cities with
professional ballet, symphony, opera and theater companies. With 20 museums,
nearly three dozen galleries and as many as 35 theater companies, the city is
experiencing a cultural renaissance.
Along with the Texas State History Museum, other exciting new projects are also
in the works. The $60 million, Austin Museum of Art is expected to open downtown
in 2003. A massive renovation will convert Palmer Auditorium into the Long
Center for the Performing Arts by early 2004. The University of Texas plans to
bring all of its art collections under one roof at the new Blanton Museum of Art
by 2004.
Ethnically Diverse
Historic structures, ethnic foods, outdoor
festivals and a variety of musical styles blend together to reflect Austin's
multicultural diversity.
The Hispanic influence permeates the city with Tex-Mex cuisine and festive
celebrations such as Dies y Seis (September 16) and Cinco de Mayo (May 5). In
clubs all over town, listeners hear the African-American community's priceless
musical contribution of the blues. A French connection, one of the six flags
that flew over Texas, remains at the French Legation, built during the Republic
of Texas era. Austin stands as the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, where
thousands of German immigrants settled in the 19th century and left behind a
legacy of food, music and unique architectural styles.
Musically Inclined
In the early 1970s, Austin birthed a distinct
music genre at a now defunct music emporium known as the Armadillo World
Headquarters. Here, the kickers met the hippies to produce a fusion of
music-country, blues, rock and roll, jazz and folk-that evolved into the "Austin
sound."
Today more than 100 live music venues offer performances on any given evening,
making Austin the "Live Music Capital of the World." Many of those venues are
clustered downtown along Sixth Street and in the downtown Warehouse District.
All over the world, viewers tune in weekly to Austin City Limits, PBS's longest
running series. Tours of the studio on the University of Texas campus are
available each Friday.
For more information about Austin visit:
http://travel.yahoo.com/t/destinations/north_america/united_states/texas/austin/index.html