Austin, Texas

Austin is the capital city of the state of Texas in the United States.

It is located within the Texas Hill Country region. The city serves as the county seat for Travis County. Portions of the city also extend into Hays and Williamson counties. Austin is a major metropolitan hub with a large population. As of the 2020 census, it had 961,855 residents. The Austin metro area is even larger, with an estimated 2.55 million people.

This makes it the 13th-most populous city in the nation. It is also the second-most populous state capital in the U.S. after Phoenix, Arizona.

The geography of the area is defined by many waterways. The Colorado River flows through the region and creates several lakes. These include Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis.

Other notable water features are Barton Springs, McKinney Falls, and Lake Walter E. Long.

The landscape includes hills that contribute to a unique atmosphere. After sunset, a colorful glow sometimes appears across these hills. This phenomenon earned Austin the nickname "the City of the Violet Crown." The city is also categorized as a Gamma + level global city. This classification comes from the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Human activity in this region has a very long history. Evidence suggests people lived here at least 11,200 years ago. These early inhabitants are linked to the Clovis culture.

Later, American Indian groups such as the Tonkawa lived in the area. The Comanches and Lipan Apaches also traveled through these lands. Spanish colonists explored the region as well. In 1730, a Catholic mission was established on the south side of the Colorado River. This mission was located in what is now Zilker Park. It only stayed in that location for about seven months. It was eventually moved to San Antonio de Béxar.

The modern city was officially incorporated on December 27, 1839. Before it was called Austin, the site was briefly known as Waterloo. Mirabeau B. Lamar helped select the site for the new capital. He noted the pleasant surroundings and the hills.

The site was a useful crossroads for many trade routes. A surveyor named Edwin Waller created the first city plan.

This plan used a 14-block grid. It featured a main north-south street called Congress Avenue. This original layout still forms the basis of downtown Austin today. The city was later named for Stephen F. Austin. He was known as the "Father of Texas."

Austin has experienced several major economic shifts. In the late 19th century, railroads changed how the city traded. The Houston and Texas Central Railway opened in 1871. This allowed the city to transport cotton and cattle.

The city also became a center for government and education. The Texas State Capitol was completed in 1888.

The University of Texas at Austin also became a major institution. It is one of the largest universities in the country. It hosts over 50,000 students. In 2021, the city gained its first major professional sports team, Austin FC.

Since the 1960s, a new industry has shaped the city. Austin has become a major center for technology and business. This began when defense contractor Tracor started operations in 1962. IBM opened a facility in 1967 to make typewriters.

Texas Instruments and Motorola also established roots here later. Because of this growth, people call the area "Silicon Hills."

Many Fortune 500 companies now have offices in Austin. These include Apple, Dell, Tesla, Google, and Amazon. This rapid influx of companies has made Austin one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.

The culture of the city is very distinct. Residents are known as Austinites. They include musicians, high-tech workers, and college students. The city's official slogan is "The Live Music Capital of the World."

This refers to the many music venues and the Austin City Limits series. Austin also hosts the South by Southwest festival. This event features film, music, and interactive media. Some people use the slogan "Keep Austin Weird." This reflects a desire to protect local, unique businesses. Rapid development and gentrification now challenge these bohemian roots.