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    Austin, Texas
    Austin, Texas
    Austin, Texas
    Ebook199 pages20 minutes

    Austin, Texas

    By Karen R. Thompson and Kathy R. Howell

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    About this ebook

    When General Sam Houston's Texas army defeated Mexican General Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, the Republic of Texas was born. Austin, located on the banks of the Colorado River, was laid out as the capital city in 1839, and has remained the capital since statehood in 1846. Featured here in over 200 vintage photographs is the history of this independent city, and the people who made it what it is today. Land agent Stephen F. Austin brought the first Anglo settlers to the Spanish territory in 1821 and guided them until independence in 1836. Seen here are the images that capture the spirit of those original pioneers and their achievements, including the French Legation, the construction of the capitol, and the Texas governor's mansion, the oldest governor's residence west of the Mississippi. Also pictured are the familiar faces of Austin's long history, including Austin's first mayor, Edwin Waller, and past governor Alan Shivers.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateNov 9, 2000
    ISBN9781439611128
    Austin, Texas
    Author

    Karen R. Thompson

    Authors Karen R. Thompson and Kathy R. Howell, a mother-daughter team, are 5th and 6th generation Austinites. Ms. Thompson has been collecting photographs of Texas history for over 40 years, and showcases many of those images here in this new book, all of which have never before been published.

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      Book preview

      Austin, Texas - Karen R. Thompson

      2000

      INTRODUCTION

      The Republic of Texas was established on April 21, 1836, when the volunteer Texian Army, under the command of General Sam Houston, defeated Mexican General Santa Ana at the Battle of San Jacinto on Buffalo Bayou.

      One of the first tasks of this new republic was to select a site for the capital city, and that was accomplished in 1839 when Austin was laid out along the banks of the Colorado River. Austin has remained the capital since statehood on February 19, 1846, when Texas became the 28th state in the union.

      The hilltop was reserved for the capitol building, and a wide Congress Avenue ran south to the river. Since the current capitol building was completed in 1888, it has dominated the Austin skyline.

      In addition to a capital city, the Republic of Texas called for the establishment of a university. In 1883 the University of Texas opened with 218 students, and in 2000, it has an enrollment of over 50,000—the largest in the United States. Along with state government, UT has defined Austin, both in economy and style.

      Austinites come in all types, from governors and mayors to statesmen and students. Most women supported suffrage, and Ma Ferguson was the second woman governor in the United States. Grassroots organizations such as Save Our Springs demand the preservation of the 170,000 year old Barton Springs and in contrast, new millionaires are created every day from the high-tech industry. Austin is indeed as varied and unique as these photographs reveal.

      One

      THE TEXAS CAPITAL

      Stephen F. Austin brought the first three hundred families from the United States to the Mexican territory of Texas in 1821. This set the stage for pioneer settlers to gain independence on April 21, 1836, at the Battle of San Jacinto. Austin was selected as the capital of the Republic of Texas.

      In 1839, King Louis Philippe of France sent Count Jean Pierre I. Alphonse Dubois de Saligny to the Republic of Texas to investigate whether the French government should recognize Texas as an independent nation. Count de Saligny informed the King, Texas will bring great advantages to France for many years to come. On September 25, 1839, France recognized the Republic of Texas by signing a Treaty of Amity, Navigation, and Commerce.

      When de Saligny arrived in Austin in 1840, he found only log buildings and animals running loose on dirt roads. He purchased land, and by the middle of 1841 had built the French Legation embassy from lumber hauled by wagon from Bastrop. De Saligny left Austin and by 1848, Dr. Joseph W. Robertson had purchased the house. The Robertson family sold it to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1948 and the DRT continues to operate it as a museum. (Copyright Ward Winnette, 1999.)

      The most interesting French Legation story is referred to as the Pig War. Count de Saligny fed corn to his horses, and the pigs of innkeeper Richard Bullock would trample down the stable fence to feed on the corn. Arguments ended when de Saligny’s servant Pluyette killed many of Bullock’s hogs on the morning of February 19, 1841. Bullock made a claim to the Republic of Texas government for

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