Austin Information

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In 1839, five mounted scouts searched a broad area of wilderness seeking a site for a new capital city for the Republic of Texas. They chose this location on the north bank of Colorado River, where rich blacklands meet scenic hills. At the time, the site was occupied by a four-family settlement called Waterloo. It was renamed to honour Stephen F. Austin, the "Father of Texas." In early September 1839, archives and furniture of Texas government were transported from Houston to Austin by 50 ox-drawn wagons.

Today, the city bills itself as the "Live Music Capital of the World." Austin has it all - blues, country, reggae, jazz, conjunto, Tejano, swing and rock - performing in nearly 200 live music venues around city including nightspots along Sixth Street and the Warehouse District. Major annual events include South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive conferences in March and the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October.

Austin is starting point for the Presidential Corridor via U.S. 290, Texas 21 to Texas 6 in Bryan/College Station connecting the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum with the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin. Upbeat and high tech, that's Silicon Hills. Austin is home to many computer chip makers and other computer industries. The city also is home to the nation's largest urban bat colony, found under the Ann Richards Congress Ave. Bridge.

The Austin area offers more than 25 bed & breakfasts and more than 220 hotel establishments. Institutions of higher learning include Austin Community College, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Concordia Univ. at Austin, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Huston-Tillotson College, St. Edward's Univ. and The Univ. of Texas at Austin.

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