After Texas became an independent country in 1836, the then Texas Congress had to decide a new site for it's capital. At that time a place named Waterloo was selected because of it's beautiful hills, waterways, and pleasant surroundings. Later the name Waterloo was changed to Austin.
Austin back then was not a popular place to live. Only after completion of the Capitol Building and UT Austin in the 1880s, the population rose. And so did the city limits.
State Capitol Building: State Capitol Building is the largest State Capitol Building in the US.
The Dome stands 7' taller than the Capitol Building in DC.
And the structure is made up of pink granite.
Largest Urban Bat Population: Austin, Texas is the home to 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats which live under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Every evening at around 8pm, people come to see these bats fly from their homes. This happens from the months of March to October, after which the bats migrate to Mexico.
UT Austin:
It is one of the largest college universities in the nation. The University of Texas at Austin has the fifth-largest single-campus enrollment in the nation. The current enrollment is over 50,000 students. This also puts it at the largest enrollment of all colleges in Texas.
Live Music Capital of the world:
With more than 100 live music venues this city is considered the live music capital of the world. Austin also hosts the popular Music Festival called the Austin City Limits which features 130 bands in over 3 days. Initially it was created to celebrate the music of Texas but now the series features regional, national and international artists performing a wide range of musical styles, including jazz, alternative country, alternative rock, folk music, and jam band.
Mount Bonnell:
It's highest point in Austin standing at 785 feet. Not very high, but for Texas that is quite a hike. Most of the state is flat land so Mount Bonnell is a diamond in the rough. Mount Bonnell is quite the tourist attraction as well. From the top you will find breathtaking views of beautiful Lake Austin.
Whole Foods Headquarters:
John Mackey started a natural grocery store in Austin called the SaferWay. It gained popularity over the time and grew by leaps and bounds. Later the name was changed to Whole Foods. Today the headquarters of WF stands on Lamar Blvd in Austin Downtown, a few blocks away from it's birthplace. It is amazingly huge, one of the largest grocery stores with a size of 80,000 Sq. Feet.
Other facts:
- This beautiful city has an average of 300 days of sunshine a year!
- Rated the 14th safest city in America!
- Sandra Bullock is a well known face around town.
- Austin is a temperate-to-hot green oasis with a highly variable climate.
- From October 2010 through September 2011 Austin faced drought condition.
Source:
http://johnclarkeonline.com/2012/06/24/furry-aviators-%E2%80%93-bats/
sketcharts.com
texaspropertyphotos.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin,_Texas#Government_and_politics
http://www.infobarrel.com/20_Fun_and_Interesting_Facts_about_Austin,_Texas#iQIhX5xmpauOjT2m.99
