Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most populous city in the United States, the fourth-most populous city in the state after Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, and the second-most populous state capital city after Phoenix, the capital of Arizona. It has been one of the fastest growing large cities in the United States since 2010. Downtown Austin and Downtown San Antonio are approximately 80 miles (129 km) apart, and both fall along the Interstate 35 corridor. This combined metropolitan region of San Antonio–Austin has approximately 5 million people. Austin is the southernmost state capital in the contiguous United States and is considered a Gamma-level global city as categorized by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.
Some of the key events about Austin, Texas
- 1839The city of Austin was founded as the capital of the Republic of Texas
- 1842A group of Comanches attacked the city, killing several residents
- 1883The University of Texas at Austin was established
- 1885A series of murders known as the "Servant Girl Annihilator" killings terrorized the city
- 1888The Texas State Capitol building was completed
- 1918The Spanish flu pandemic caused numerous deaths in Austin
- 1937The iconic Barton Springs Pool opened to the public
- 1937A massive flood of the Colorado River devastated parts of the city
- 1960The first major technology company, IBM, opened an office in Austin
- 1966A mass shooting at the University of Texas left 16 people dead and 31 wounded
- 1974The inaugural Austin City Limits music program was recorded
- 1987South by Southwest (SXSW) festival was launched
- 1990A serial killer known as the "Yogurt Shop Murders" case shocked the community
- 1991The Austin Convention Center opened, boosting the city's event hosting capabilities
- 1997A severe drought led to water restrictions and economic losses
- 2001Austin was designated as the "Live Music Capital of the World"
- 2011The most destructive wildfire in Texas history burned over 34,000 acres near Austin
- 2012The Circuit of the Americas, a world-class motorsports facility, opened and hosted its first Formula One United States Grand Prix
- 2018A series of package bombings killed two people and injured several others
- 2021A severe winter storm caused widespread power outages and water shortages
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.