Austin (Texas) Scrapbook

Austin is the capital of Texas and the county seat of Travis County. It is also home to the main campus of the University of Texas and its Longhorns. Austin is named for Stephen F. Austin, the founder of Anglo-American Texas. President of the Republic of Texas Mirabeau B. Lamar led the commission on the selection of what would be the site of Austin.

In 1842, the next president of the Republic, Sam Houston, demanded that the national archives be moved to Houston, an order to which Austinites refused to succumb. Houston sent armed men to seize the records, but Austin and Travis County citizens fought back, in what would become known as the Archive War. Austin officially became the state capital in February 1846, regaining its power.

Austin has always had an incredibly large population growth rate, and has become one of the highest rated cities for quality of life in the country.

Source : Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Austin, Texas, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/AA/hda3.html (accessed June 29, 2010).