152-665: Lawrence Sullivan " Sul " Ross (September 27, 1838 – January 3, 1898) was the 19th governor of Texas , a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War , and the 4th president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now called Texas A&M University . Ross was raised in the Republic of Texas , which was later annexed to the United States. Much of his childhood
304-714: A boil-water advisory which would last until water pressure was restored on February 23. Beginning January 30, 2023 the City of Austin experienced a winter freeze which left 170,000 Austin Energy customers without electricity or heat for several days. The slow pace of repairs and lack of public information from City officials frustrated many residents. A week after the freeze and when Austin City Council members were proposing to evaluate his employment, City Manager Spencer Cronk finally apologized. On Thursday February 16, 2023, Cronk
456-443: A cotton gin engine was located downtown near the trains for "ginning" cotton of its seeds and turning the product into bales for shipment. However, as other new railroads were built through the region in the 1870s, Austin began to lose its primacy in trade to the surrounding communities. In addition, the areas east of Austin took over cattle and cotton production from Austin, especially in towns like Hutto and Taylor that sit over
608-567: A new capitol building . Near the end of the special session, the Senate passed a reapportionment bill, which reduced Ross's four-year term to only two years. He declined to run again. As early as 1884, Ross's friends, including Victor M. Rose, the editor of the newspaper in Victoria , had encouraged Ross to run for governor . He declined and asked his friend George Clark to attend the 1884 state Democratic convention to prevent Ross from being named
760-525: A committee of three assigned to draft resolutions for the convention. They asked for greater pay for sheriffs in certain circumstances, condemned the spirit of mob law, and proposed that state law be modified so arresting officers could use force if necessary to "compel the criminal to obey the mandates of the law." Ross resigned as sheriff in 1875 and was soon elected as a delegate to the 1875 Texas Constitutional Convention . One of three members appointed to wait upon convention president-elect E.B. Pickett, Ross
912-805: A direct commission in the Army. Eager to finish his education, Ross declined Scott's offer, and returned to school in Alabama. The following year, Ross graduated from Wesleyan with a Bachelor of Arts and returned to Texas. Once there, he discovered no one had been able to trace the family of the young Caucasian girl rescued during the Wichita Village fight. He adopted the child and named her Lizzie Ross, in honor of his new fiancée, Elizabeth Dorothy Tinsley. In early 1860, Ross enlisted in Captain J. M. Smith's Waco company of Texas Rangers , which formed to fight
1064-483: A federal or state office before supporting the Confederacy. Reconstruction did not harm Ross's fortune, and with hard work, he soon prospered. Shortly after the war ended, he bought 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land in town from his parents for $ 1,500. By May 1869, he had purchased an additional 40 acres (16 ha) of farmland for $ 400, and the following year, his wife inherited 186 acres (75 ha) of farmland from
1216-485: A flood on April 7, 1900. In the late 1920s and 1930s, Austin implemented the 1928 Austin city plan through a series of civic development and beautification projects that created much of the city's infrastructure and many of its parks. In addition, the state legislature established the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) that, along with the city of Austin, created the system of dams along
1368-486: A four-month peace. In August 1889, Ross sent four Texas Rangers, including Sergeant Ira Aten , to quell the unrest. Violence erupted, leaving four people dead and injuring six, including a Ranger. Aten wired Ross for help. The following morning, the Houston Light Guard arrived and instituted martial law; that evening, Ross arrived with an assistant attorney general and another militia company. Ross fired all
1520-544: A freeze are December 1 and February 15, giving Austin an average growing season of 288 days, and the coldest temperature of the year is normally about 24.2 °F (−4 °C) under the 1991-2020 climate normals, putting Austin in USDA zone 9a. Conversely, winter months also produce warm days on a regular basis. On average, 10 days in January reach or exceed 70 °F (21 °C) and 1 day reaches 80 °F (27 °C); during
1672-727: A major university. The 1970s saw Austin's emergence in the national music scene, with local artists such as Willie Nelson , Asleep at the Wheel , and Stevie Ray Vaughan and iconic music venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters . Over time, the long-running television program Austin City Limits , its namesake Austin City Limits Festival, and the South by Southwest music festival solidified
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#17327979873841824-683: A part of their land, created an immense motive for Sam Houston, the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, to relocate the capital once again in 1841. Upon threats of Mexican troops in Texas, Houston raided the Land Office to transfer all official documents to Houston for safe keeping in what was later known as the Archive War , but the people of Austin would not allow this unaccompanied decision to be executed. The documents stayed, but
1976-602: A petition on behalf of 500 citizens of McLennan County, requesting a prohibition amendment to be placed on the next statewide ballot; the legislature did agree to place this on the next ballot. Although the Texas Legislature typically meets once every two years, a fire destroyed the state capitol building in November 1881, and Ross was called to serve in a special session in April 1882. The session agreed to build
2128-576: A set of zoning restrictions that preserve the view of the Texas State Capitol from various locations around Austin, known as the Capitol View Corridors . At night, parts of Austin are lit by "artificial moonlight" from moonlight towers built to illuminate the central part of the city. The 165-foot (50 m) moonlight towers were built in the late 19th century and are now recognized as historic landmarks. Only 15 of
2280-549: A severe lull in economic growth from the Great Depression , Austin resumed its steady development. Following the mid-20th century, Austin became established as one of Texas' major metropolitan centers. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Austin's population as 14.5% Hispanic, 11.9% black, and 73.4% non-Hispanic white. In the late 20th century, Austin emerged as an important high tech center for semiconductors and software. The University of Texas at Austin emerged as
2432-411: A term of four years. They take office on the third Tuesday of January following an election, which is also the date of expiry of the previous gubernatorial term. The state's first constitution in 1845 established the office of governor, to serve for two years, but no more than four years out of every six (essentially a limit of no more than two consecutive terms). The 1861 secessionist constitution set
2584-526: A third of normal precipitation. This was a result of La Niña conditions in the eastern Pacific Ocean where water was significantly cooler than normal. David Brown, a regional official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explained that "these kinds of droughts will have effects that are even more extreme in the future, given a warming and drying regional climate." The drought, coupled with exceedingly high temperatures throughout
2736-497: Is a state park administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , located at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek. The park includes several designated hiking trails and campsites with water and electric. The namesake features of the park are the scenic upper and lower falls along Onion Creek. The Emma Long Metropolitan Park is a municipal park along the shores of Lake Austin , originally constructed by
2888-435: Is a popular summer swimming spot for visitors and residents. Hamilton Pool Preserve consists of 232 acres (0.94 km ) of protected natural habitat featuring a jade green pool into which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall flows. In May 2021, voters in the City of Austin reinstated a public camping ban. That includes downtown green spaces as well as trails and greenbelts such as along Barton Creek. McKinney Falls State Park
3040-619: Is considered a Gamma + level global city as categorized by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . As of 2024, Austin had an estimated population of 984,567, up from 961,855 at the 2020 census . The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan statistical area, which had an estimated population of 2,473,275 as of July 1, 2023. Located in Central Texas within
3192-615: Is home to the tallest condo towers in the state, with The Independent (58 stories and 690 ft (210 m) tall) and The Austonian (topping out at 56 floors and 685 ft (209 m) tall). The Independent became the tallest all-residential building in the U.S. west of Chicago when topped out in 2018. In 2005, then-Mayor Will Wynn set out a goal of having 25,000 people living downtown by 2015. Although downtown's growth did not meet this goal, downtown's residential population did surge from an estimated 5,000 in 2005 to 12,000 in 2015. The skyline has drastically changed in recent years, and
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#17327979873843344-471: Is its highly variable humidity, which fluctuates frequently depending on the shifting patterns of air flow and wind direction. It is common for a lengthy series of warm, dry, low-humidity days to be occasionally interrupted by very warm and humid days, and vice versa. Humidity rises with winds from the east or southeast, when the air drifts inland from the Gulf of Mexico , but decreases significantly with winds from
3496-772: Is located within the middle of a unique, narrow transitional zone between the dry deserts of the American Southwest and the lush, green, more humid regions of the American Southeast. Its climate, topography, and vegetation share characteristics of both. Officially, Austin has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) under the Köppen climate classification . This climate is typified by long, very hot summers, short, mild winters, and warm to hot spring and fall seasons in-between. Austin averages 34.32 inches (872 mm) of annual rainfall distributed mostly evenly throughout
3648-472: Is most common during the spring. According to most classifications, Austin lies within the extreme southern periphery of Tornado Alley , although many sources place Austin outside of Tornado Alley altogether. Consequently, tornadoes strike Austin less frequently than areas farther to the north. However, severe weather and/or supercell thunderstorms can occur multiple times per year, bringing damaging winds, lightning, heavy rain, and occasional flash flooding to
3800-484: Is rare in Austin. A snow event of 0.9 inches (2 cm) on February 4, 2011, caused more than 300 car crashes. The most recent major snow event occurred February 14–15, 2021, when 6.4 inches (16 cm) of snow fell at Austin's Camp Mabry , the largest two-day snowfall since records began being kept in 1948. Typical of Central Texas , severe weather in Austin is a threat that can strike during any season. However, it
3952-549: Is the head of the state government of Texas and is the highest elected official in the state. The governor is the leader of the executive and legislative branches of the state government and is the commander in chief of the Texas Military . The current governor is Greg Abbott , who took office in 2015. Anyone seeking to become the governor of Texas must meet the following qualifications: Governors of Texas are directly elected by registered voters in Texas and serve for
4104-523: Is the home of the University of Texas at Austin , one of the largest universities in the U.S., with over 50,000 students. In 2021, Austin became home to the Austin FC , the first (and currently only) major professional sports team in the city. Austin, Travis County and Williamson County have been the site of human habitation since at least 9200 BC. The area's earliest known inhabitants lived during
4256-683: Is water. Austin is situated at the foot of the Balcones Escarpment , on the Colorado River , with three artificial lakes within the city limits: Lady Bird Lake (formerly known as Town Lake), Lake Austin (both created by dams along the Colorado River), and Lake Walter E. Long that is partly used for cooling water for the Decker Power Plant. Mansfield Dam and the foot of Lake Travis are located within
4408-511: Is well-fed. Both range in temperature from about 68.0 °F (20.0 °C) during the winter to about 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) during the summer. Hippie Hollow Park , a county park situated along Lake Travis, is the only officially sanctioned clothing-optional public park in Texas. Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool, located about 23 miles (37 km) west of Austin,
4560-557: The 17th Texas Legislature , he was a member of the Senate Committees on Agricultural Affairs, Contingent Expenses, Educational Affairs, Enrolled Bills, Finance, Internal Improvements, Penitentiaries, Senatorial and Representative Districts, Apportionment, State Affairs, Statistics of Industries, Public Health, and History of Texas, Stock and Stock Raising, and was the chair of the Committee on Military Affairs. Ross introduced
4712-776: The Civilian Conservation Corps . The 284 acres (115 ha) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a botanical garden and arboretum that features more than 800 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings; the Wildflower Center is located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Downtown in Circle C Ranch . Roy G. Guerrero Park is located along the Colorado River in East Riverside and contains miles of wooded trails,
Lawrence Sullivan Ross - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-555: The Houston and Texas Central Railway (H&TC) in 1871 turned Austin into the major trading center for the region, with the ability to transport both cotton and cattle. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas (MKT) line followed close behind. Austin was also the terminus of the southernmost leg of the Chisholm Trail , and "drovers" pushed cattle north to the railroad. Cotton was one of the few crops produced locally for export, and
5016-958: The Indian Territory to negotiate treaties with the Five Civilized Tribes , so they would not help the Union Army . One week after his May 28 wedding to Lizzie Tinsley, Ross set out for the Indian Territory. Upon reaching the Washita Agency, he discovered the Confederate commissioners had already signed a preliminary treaty with the tribes. Ross returned home for several months. In the middle of August, he departed, with his company, for Missouri, leaving his wife with her parents. On September 7, his group became Company G of Stone's Regiment, later known as
5168-736: The Supreme Court against Texas to determine ownership of a disputed 1,500,000-acre (6,100 km) plot of land in Greer County . Determined to meet personally with the attorney general, Ross and his wife traveled to Washington, DC , where they visited President Benjamin Harrison at the White House. Following that visit, they traveled to New York City, where they met with former president Grover Cleveland . While in New York, Ross
5320-429: The blackland prairie , with its deep, rich soils for producing cotton and hay. In September 1881, Austin public schools held their first classes. The same year, Tillotson Collegiate and Normal Institute (now part of Huston–Tillotson University ) opened its doors. The University of Texas held its first classes in 1883, although classes had been held in the original wooden state capitol for four years before. During
5472-455: The legislature passed laws to restore the power of the land office commissioner, provide punishments for those using state lands illegally, and to catalog existing public lands. In May 1888, Ross presided over the dedication of the new Texas State Capitol building. Later that year, Ross ran relatively unopposed for a second term. His platform included abolishing the national banking system, regulating monopolies, reducing tariffs, and allowing
5624-415: The presidential elections . All gubernatorial elections have been a part of the midterm elections since the 1974 election , invalidating the latter. The governor is sworn in on the third Tuesday of January every four years along with the lieutenant governor , so Abbott and current lieutenant governor Dan Patrick both took office on January 20, 2015. Despite the lack of term limits, no Texas governor in
5776-426: The seat and most populous city of Travis County , with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 26th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, the 11th-most populous city in the United States, the fourth-most populous city in the state after Houston , San Antonio , and Dallas , and the second-most populous state capital city after Phoenix ,
5928-400: The 1880s, Austin gained new prominence as the state capitol building was completed in 1888 and claimed as the seventh largest building in the world. In the late 19th century, Austin expanded its city limits to more than three times its former area, and the first granite dam was built on the Colorado River to power a new street car line and the new " moon towers ". The first dam washed away in
6080-805: The 1990s, Austin has become a center for technology and business. The technology roots in Austin can be traced back to the 1960s, when defense electronics contractor Tracor (now BAE Systems ) began operations in the city in 1962. IBM followed in 1967, opening a facility to produce its Selectric typewriters. Texas Instruments was set up in Austin two years later, and Motorola (now NXP Semiconductors) started semiconductor chip manufacturing in 1974. A number of Fortune 500 companies have headquarters or regional offices in Austin, including 3M , Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) , Agilent Technologies , Amazon , Apple , Dell , Facebook (Meta) , General Motors , Google , IBM , Intel , NXP Semiconductors , Oracle , Tesla , and Texas Instruments . With regard to education, Austin
6232-482: The 1991-2020 period recorded at least 1 day of the latter. The average daytime high is 70 °F (21 °C) or warmer between March 1 and November 21, rising to 80 °F (27 °C) or warmer between April 14 and October 24, and reaching 90 °F (32 °C) or warmer between May 30 and September 18. The highest ever recorded temperature was 112 °F (44 °C) occurring on September 5, 2000, and August 28, 2011. An uncommon characteristic of Austin's climate
Lawrence Sullivan Ross - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-549: The 1991-2020 period, all Januarys had at least 1 day with a high of 70 °F (21 °C) or more, and most (60%) had at least 1 day with a high of 80 °F (27 °C) or more. The lowest ever recorded temperature in the city was −2 °F (−19 °C) on January 31, 1949. Roughly every two years Austin experiences an ice storm that freezes roads over and cripples travel in the city for 24 to 48 hours. When Austin received 0.04 inches (1 mm) of ice on January 24, 2014, there were 278 vehicular collisions. Similarly, snowfall
6536-482: The 19th or 20th century ever served more than seven and a half consecutive years in office ( Allan Shivers ) or eight years total service ( Bill Clements , in two non-consecutive four-year terms). Former governor Rick Perry , who served from 2000 to 2015, surpassed both these records, becoming the first Texas governor to serve three consecutive four-year terms. When Perry won the general election on November 2, 2010 , he joined Shivers, Price Daniel , and John Connally as
6688-480: The 2nd Cavalry as the warrior approached the temporarily paralyzed Ross with a scalping knife. After five hours of fighting, the troops subdued the Comanche resistance. Buffalo Hump escaped, but 70 Comanches were killed or mortally wounded, two of them noncombatants. Ross's injuries were severe, and for five days, he lay under a tree on the battlefield, unable to be moved. His wounds became infected, and Ross begged
6840-508: The 31 original innovative towers remain standing in Austin, but none remain in any of the other cities where they were installed. The towers are featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused . In December 2023, amid rising home prices, the Austin City Council loosened the city's zoning rules to permit by-right development of triplexes on each lot and loosened restrictions on tiny homes. The central business district of Austin
6992-720: The Austin Nature & Science Center, and the Zilker Zephyr, a 12 in ( 305 mm ) gauge miniature railway carries passengers on a tour around the park. Auditorium Shores , an urban park along the lake, is home to the Palmer Auditorium , the Long Center for the Performing Arts , and an off-leash dog park on the water. Both Zilker Park and Auditorium Shores have a direct view of
7144-728: The City of Austin issued a mandatory citywide boil-water advisory after the Highland Lakes , home to the city's main water supply, became overwhelmed by unprecedented amounts of silt, dirt, and debris that had washed in from the Llano River . Austin Water, the city's water utility, has the capacity to process up to 300 million gallons of water per day; however, the elevated level of turbidity reduced output to only 105 million gallons per day. Since Austin residents consumed an average of 120 million gallons of water per day,
7296-459: The Colorado River between two creeks, Shoal Creek and Waller Creek , which was later named in his honor. Waller and a team of surveyors developed Austin's first city plan , commonly known as the Waller Plan , dividing the site into a 14-block grid plan bisected by a broad north–south thoroughfare, Congress Avenue, running up from the river to Capital Square, where the new Texas State Capitol
7448-760: The Colorado River to form the Highland Lakes . These projects were enabled in large part because the Public Works Administration provided Austin with greater funding for municipal construction projects than other Texas cities. During the early 20th century, a three-way system of social segregation emerged in Austin, with Anglos, African Americans and Mexicans being separated by custom or law in most aspects of life, including housing, health care, and education. Deed restrictions also played an important role in residential segregation . After 1935 most housing deeds prohibited African Americans (and sometimes other nonwhite groups) from using land. Combined with
7600-464: The Comanche people, and "was not particularly grateful" to have been found. In the aftermath, a nine-year-old Comanche boy found was found hiding alone in the tall grass. Ross took the child with him, naming him Pease. Though Pease was later given the choice to return to his people, he repeatedly declined and was raised by Ross. However, some take issue with this narrative of events. After Ross's death, Nocona's son Quanah Parker maintained his father
7752-455: The Comanche. After much questioning, she was able to provide a few details of her capture as a child. The details matched what they knew of the 1836 Fort Parker Massacre , and they summoned Colonel Isaac Parker to identify her. Several modern (non-contemporary) sources report that when Parker mentioned his kidnapped niece had been named Cynthia Ann Parker, the woman slapped or pointed at her chest and said "Me Cincee Ann." Parker never returned to
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#17327979873847904-664: The Comanches as a child in 1836. When Texas seceded from the United States and joined the Confederacy , Ross joined the Confederate States Army . He participated in 135 battles and skirmishes and became one of the youngest Confederate generals . Following the Civil War , Ross briefly served as sheriff of McLennan County before resigning to participate in the 1875 Texas Constitutional Convention. With
8056-533: The Comanches westward, mostly ending conflicts in Central Texas. Settlement in the area began to expand quickly. Travis County was established in 1840, and the surrounding counties were mostly established within the next two decades. Initially, the new capital thrived but Lamar's political enemy, Sam Houston , used two Mexican army incursions to San Antonio as an excuse to move the government. Sam Houston fought bitterly against Lamar's decision to establish
8208-858: The Confederate Army. Following his promotion, unit morale improved, and every one of his men re-enlisted. In March 1864, Ross's brigade fought against African American soldiers for the first time in the Battle of Yazoo City . After bitter fighting, the Confederates were victorious. During the surrender negotiations, the Union officer accused the Texans of murdering several captured African American soldiers. Ross claimed two of his men had likewise been killed after surrendering to Union troops. Beginning in May,
8360-634: The Democratic nomination. He won the general election with 228,776 votes, compared with 65,236 for the Republican candidate and 19,186 from the Prohibitionist candidate. Much of his support came from Confederate veterans. Ross became the 19th governor of Texas. His inauguration ball was held at the newly opened Driskill Hotel , a tradition followed by every subsequent Texas governor. Under the 1876 Texas Constitution, which he had helped write,
8512-785: The Downtown skyline. The Barton Creek Greenbelt is a 7.25-mile (11.67 km) public green belt managed by the City of Austin's Park and Recreation Department. The Greenbelt, which begins at Zilker Park and stretches South/Southwest to the Woods of Westlake subdivision , is characterized by large limestone cliffs, dense foliage, and shallow bodies of water. Popular activities include rock climbing , mountain biking, and hiking. Some well known naturally forming swimming holes along Austin's greenbelt include Twin Falls, Sculpture Falls, Gus Fruh Pool, and Campbell's Hole. During years of heavy rainfall,
8664-466: The Indians." Seven men, women, and children were killed and around seven or more escaped. US soldiers came upon a woman who held a child over her head; the men did not shoot, but instead surrounded and stopped her. Ross admitted to a cousin of Cynthia Ann Parker that he played no hand in helping to rescue Cynthia Ann Parker and her daughter, shown in 1861. The civilian posse arrived at the battleground as
8816-466: The Native Americans. Smith appointed Ross his second lieutenant . When Smith was promoted, the other men in the company unanimously voted to make Ross the new captain. In conjunction with several other Ranger companies, Ross led his men to retaliate against a Kickapoo tribe, who had murdered two white families. The tribe had been warned of the Rangers's approach and set the prairie ablaze. The Rangers were forced to abandon their mission when confronted with
8968-452: The Republic of Texas into the United States. In 1860, 38% of Travis County residents were slaves . In 1861, with the outbreak of the American Civil War , voters in Austin and other Central Texas communities voted against secession. However, as the war progressed and fears of attack by Union forces increased, Austin contributed hundreds of men to the Confederate forces. The African American population of Austin swelled dramatically after
9120-401: The Ross family built the first house in Waco, a double-log cabin on a bluff overlooking the springs. Ross's sister Kate soon became the first Caucasian child born in Waco. Eager to further his education, Ross entered the Preparatory Department at Baylor University (then in Independence, Texas) in 1856, despite the fact that he was several years older than most of the other students. He completed
9272-405: The Sixth Texas Cavalry. The other men elected Ross as the major for the regiment. Twice in November 1861, Ross was chosen by General McCulloch , with whom he had served in the Texas Rangers, to lead a scouting force near Springfield, Missouri . Both times, Ross successfully slipped behind the Union Army lines, gathered information, and retreated before being caught. After completing the missions, he
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#17327979873849424-410: The Texas Congress formed a commission to seek a site for the new capital of the Republic of Texas to replace Houston . When he was Vice President of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar had visited the area during a buffalo -hunting expedition between 1837 and 1838. He advised the commissioners to consider the area on the north bank of the Colorado River (near the present-day Congress Avenue Bridge ), noting
9576-425: The Texas Rangers. Dalrymple, unaware of Houston's verbal orders, castigated Ross for disbanding his company. Ross completed the reorganization of the company, then returned to Waco and resigned his commission. In his letter of resignation, effective February 1861, Ross informed Houston of his encounter with Dalrymple, and noted he did not believe a Ranger company could be effective if the captain did not report solely to
9728-469: The World", a reference to the city's many musicians and live music venues, as well as the long-running PBS TV concert series Austin City Limits . Austin is the site of South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual conglomeration of parallel film , interactive media , and music festivals . The city also adopted " Silicon Hills " as a nickname in the 1990s due to a rapid influx of technology and development companies. In recent years, some Austinites have adopted
9880-408: The area's hills, waterways, and pleasant surroundings. It was seen as a convenient crossroads for trade routes between Santa Fe and Galveston Bay , as well as routes between northern Mexico and the Red River . In 1839, the site was chosen, and briefly incorporated under the name "Waterloo". Shortly afterward, the name was changed to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin , the "Father of Texas" and
10032-421: The area. Spanish colonists, including the Espinosa - Olivares - Aguirre expedition, traveled through the area, though few permanent settlements were created for some time. In 1730, three Catholic missions from East Texas were combined and reestablished as one mission on the south side of the Colorado River, in what is now Zilker Park , in Austin. The mission was in this area for only about seven months, then
10184-400: The battle, Ross and his men successfully stampeded the Comanche horses, leaving the Comanche warriors at a disadvantage when facing the mounted troops. When many Comanche tried to flee the area, Ross, one of his scouts, Lieutenant Cornelius Van Camp of the 2nd Cavalry, and one of his troopers chased a party of noncombatants that appeared to contain a white child. On Ross's orders, his man grabbed
10336-437: The battle, Ross, who had acquired a horse, was bucked off, leading his men to believe he had been killed. He was actually unharmed. The Confederate Army retreated from the battle and found themselves facing more Union troops at Hatchie's Bridge . Ross led 700 riflemen to engage the Union troops. For three hours, his men held off 7,000 Union troops, repelling three major Union attacks. The Sixth Cavalry's horses arrived soon after
10488-501: The battle, and the regiment was transferred to the cavalry brigade of Colonel William H. "Red" Jackson . Ross was permitted to take a few weeks leave in November 1862 to visit his wife, and returned to his regiment in mid-January 1863. Several months later, his unit participated in the Battle of Thompson's Station . In July, Major General Stephen D. Lee created a new brigade with Ross at the helm, consisting of Ross's regiment and Colonel Richard A. Pinson's First Mississippi Cavalry . Near
10640-433: The blind, and an institute for the deaf and dumb. By the time he left office, Ross had supervised the opening of a state orphan's home, a state institute for deaf, dumb, and blind black children, and a branch asylum for the insane. He also convinced the legislature to set aside 696 acres (282 ha) near Gatesville for a future open farm reformatory for juvenile offenders. Governor of Texas The governor of Texas
10792-416: The brigade endured 112 consecutive days of skirmishes, comprising 86 separate clashes with the Union forces. Though most of the skirmishes were small, by the end of the period, injuries and desertion had cut the regiment's strength by 25%. Ross was captured in late July at the Battle of Brown's Mill , but was quickly rescued by a successful Confederate cavalry counterattack. Their last major military campaign
10944-434: The capital in such a remote wilderness. The men and women who traveled mainly from Houston to conduct government business were intensely disappointed as well. By 1840, the population had risen to 856, nearly half of whom fled Austin when Congress recessed. The resident African American population listed in January of this same year was 176. The fear of Austin's proximity to the Indians and Mexico, which still considered Texas
11096-489: 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
11248-403: The capital would temporarily move from Austin to Houston to Washington-on-the-Brazos . Without the governmental body, Austin's population declined to a low of only a few hundred people throughout the early 1840s. The voting by the fourth President of the Republic, Anson Jones , and Congress, who reconvened in Austin in 1845, settled the issue to keep Austin the seat of government, as well as annex
11400-434: The child; as the four turned to rejoin the battle, they were confronted by 25 Comanche warriors. Van Camp and the private were killed with arrows, and Ross received an arrow through his shoulder. A Comanche picked up the trooper's carbine and fired a 0.58-caliber bullet through Ross's chest. His attacker, Mohee, was a Comanche warrior Ross had known since childhood. Mohee was killed by buckshot fired by Lieutenant James Majors of
11552-481: The city's limits. Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Travis are each on the Colorado River. The elevation of Austin varies from 425 feet (130 m) to approximately 1,000 feet (305 m) above sea level. Due to the fact it straddles the Balcones Fault , much of the eastern part of the city is flat, with heavy clay and loam soils, whereas the western part and western suburbs consist of rolling hills on
11704-516: The city's place in the music industry. Austin, the southernmost state capital of the contiguous 48 states, is located in Central Texas on the Colorado River . Austin is 146 miles (230 km) northwest of Houston , 182 miles (290 km) south of Dallas and 74 miles (120 km) northeast of San Antonio . Austin occupies a total area of 305.1 square miles (790.1 km ). Approximately 7.2 square miles (18.6 km ) of this area
11856-420: The city. The deadliest storm to ever strike city limits was the twin tornadoes storm of May 4, 1922, while the deadliest tornado outbreak to ever strike the metro area was the Central Texas tornado outbreak of May 27, 1997. From October 2010 through September 2011, both major reporting stations in Austin, Camp Mabry and Bergstrom Int'l, had the least rainfall of a water year on record, receiving less than
12008-509: The civilian posse, which had grown to 69 members. After several days of travel, the fast pace and poor foraging forced the civilians to stop and rest their horses. All of the US soldiers and 20 of the Rangers continued on. When they neared the village, Charles Goodnight scouted ahead. Hidden from view by a dust storm, he was able to get within 200 yd (180 m) of the village and saw signs that
12160-673: The clay-rich types, are slightly to moderately alkaline and have free calcium carbonate . Austin's skyline historically was modest, dominated by the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas Main Building . However, since the 2000s, many new high-rise towers have been constructed. Austin is currently undergoing a skyscraper boom, which includes recent construction on new office, hotel and residential buildings. Downtown's buildings are somewhat spread out, partly due to
12312-551: The confiscation of his property, on August 4, 1865, Ross applied for a special pardon. President Johnson personally approved Ross's application on October 22, 1866, but Ross did not receive and formally accept the pardon until July 1867. When the Civil War ended, Ross was just 26 years old. He owned 160 acres (65 ha) of farmland along the South Bosque River west of Waco, and 5.41 acres (2.19 ha) in town. For
12464-490: The convention concluded, Ross returned home and spent the next four years focusing on his farm. In 1880, he became an accidental candidate for the Texas Senate from the 22nd District. The nominating convention deadlocked between two candidates, with neither receiving a two-thirds majority. As a compromise, one of the delegates suggested the group nominate Ross. Although no one asked Ross whether he wanted to run for office,
12616-452: The delegates elected him as their candidate. He agreed to the nomination to spare the trouble and expense of another convention. Ross won the election with a large majority. His term as a Texas Senator began on January 11, 1881. Shortly after his arrival in Austin , his youngest son died. Ross returned home for a week to attend the funeral and help care for another son who was seriously ill In
12768-651: The edge of the Texas Hill Country . Because the hills to the west are primarily limestone rock with a thin covering of topsoil, portions of the city are frequently subjected to flash floods from the runoff caused by thunderstorms. To help control this runoff and to generate hydroelectric power, the Lower Colorado River Authority operates a series of dams that form the Texas Highland Lakes . The lakes also provide venues for boating, swimming, and other forms of recreation within several parks on
12920-697: The enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas by Union General Gordon Granger at Galveston, in an event commemorated as Juneteenth . Black communities such as Wheatville , Pleasant Hill, and Clarksville were established, with Clarksville being the oldest surviving freedomtown ‒ the original post-Civil War settlements founded by former African-American slaves ‒ west of the Mississippi River . In 1870, blacks made up 36.5% of Austin's population. The postwar period saw dramatic population and economic growth. The opening of
13072-497: The estate of her father. Ross continued to buy land, and by the end of 1875, he owned over 1,000 acres (400 ha) of farmland. Besides farming, Ross and his brother Peter also raised Shorthorn cattle. The two led several trail drives to New Orleans . The combined farming and ranching incomes left Ross wealthy enough to build a house in the Waco city limits and to send his children to private school. By 1873, Reconstruction in Texas
13224-479: The exception of a two-year term as a State Senator , Ross spent the next decade focused on his farm and ranch concerns. In 1887, he became the 19th governor of Texas. During his two terms, he oversaw the dedication of the new Texas State Capitol , and resolved the Jaybird-Woodpecker War . Despite his popularity, Ross refused to run for a third term as governor. Days after leaving office, he became
13376-695: The family moved to Milam County in the Republic of Texas, where they settled in Robertson's Colony on the lower Brazos River . Two years later, they joined seven other families under Captain Daniel Monroe and settled near present-day Cameron , where they received 640 acres (260 ha ) of land along the Little River. While living in Milam, they became slave owners, enabled by the government grant of land. Their land adjoined Comanche territory and
13528-493: The family of his tutor. During the summer of 1858, Ross returned to Texas and journeyed to the Brazos Indian Reserve, where his father served as Indian agent . The United States Army had conscripted Indians from the reserve to help the "Wichita Expedition" of 2nd Cavalry in a search for Buffalo Hump , a Penateka Comanche chief who had led several deadly raids on Texas settlements. Fearing that Shapley Ross
13680-436: The fighting finished. Although they initially congratulated Ross for winning the battle, some of them later complained that Ross had pushed ahead without them so he would not have to share the glory or the spoils of war. When Cynthia Ann Parker was taken to Ft. Cooper, US command realized the captured woman had blue eyes. The woman could not speak English and did not remember her birth name or details of her life prior to joining
13832-526: The first Texas governor to run for a third term, and left office on January 20, 1891. During his four years in office, he vetoed only 10 bills, and issued 861 pardons. During his time in office, Ross proposed tax reform laws intended to provide for more equitable assessments of property; at that time, people were allowed to assess their own belongings with little oversight. The legislature passed his recommendations, and approved his plan to exert more control over school funds and to require local taxation to support
13984-522: The first time, his wife and he were able to establish their own home. They expanded their family, having eight children over the next 17 years. Despite his federal pardon for being a Confederate general, Ross was disqualified from voting and serving as a juror by the first Reconstruction Act of March 2, 1867. This act, and the Supplementary Reconstruction Act passed three weeks later, disenfranchised anyone who had held
14136-494: The fourth president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). He is credited with reorganizing the school's finances to save it from closure by the state legislature and opening the first classes to women who were daughters of professors. His tenure saw a large expansion in college facilities and the birth of many school traditions . After his death, the Texas Legislature created Sul Ross State University in his honor. Lawrence Sullivan Ross
14288-496: The frontier. The citizens erroneously believed the raiding was committed by Native Americans from the reservations, and they feared Ross's friendship with those on the reservations would make him ineffective. In late October and November 1860, Comanches led by Peta Nocona conducted numerous raids on various settlements, culminating in the brutal killing of a pregnant woman. On hearing of these incidents, Houston sent several 25-man companies to assist Ross. A citizen's posse had tracked
14440-435: The governor was granted the power to be commander-in-chief, to convene the legislature, to act as executor of the laws, to direct trade with other states, to grant pardons, and to veto bills. His campaign had focused on land-use reform, as most of the frontier issues now resulted from disagreements over the use of public land, especially between farmers and ranchers concerned with water rights and grazing issues. At Ross's urging,
14592-426: The governor. Houston offered to appoint Ross as an aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel, but Ross refused. In early 1861 after Texas voted to secede from the United States and join the Confederacy , Ross's brother Peter began recruiting men for a new military company . Ross enlisted in his brother's company as a private , and shortly afterwards, Governor Edward Clark requested he instead proceed immediately to
14744-469: The greater Texas Hill Country , it is home to numerous lakes, rivers, and waterways, including Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis on the Colorado River , Barton Springs , McKinney Falls , and Lake Walter E. Long . Residents of Austin are known as Austinites. They include a diverse mix of government employees, college students, musicians, high-tech workers, and blue-collar workers . The city's official slogan promotes Austin as "The Live Music Capital of
14896-608: The gubernatorial candidate. Clark had to produce written authorization from Ross to convince the delegates to nominate someone else. Ross changed his mind in late 1885, announcing his candidacy for governor on February 25, 1886. During the campaign, he was variously accused of pandering to the Greenbackers, the Republicans, and the Knights. Ross spent no money on his campaign other than traveling expenses, but still handily won
15048-412: The infrastructure was not able to keep up with demand. In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri dropped prolific amounts of snow across Texas and Oklahoma, including Austin. The Austin area received a total of 6.4 inches (160 mm) of snowfall between February 14 and 15, with snow cover persisting until February 20. This marked the longest time the area had had more than 1 inch (25 mm) of snow, with
15200-493: The lake for canoeing and fishing. The 10.1 miles (16.3 km) Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail forms a complete circuit around the lake. A local nonprofit, The Trail Foundation, is the Trail's private steward and has built amenities and infrastructure including trailheads, lakefront gathering areas, restrooms, exercise equipment, as well as doing Trailwide ecological restoration work on an ongoing basis. The Butler Trail loop
15352-437: The lake shores. Austin is located at the intersection of four major ecological regions, and is consequently a temperate-to-hot green oasis with a highly variable climate having some characteristics of the desert, the tropics, and a wetter climate. The area is very diverse ecologically and biologically, and is home to a variety of animals and plants. Notably, the area is home to many types of wildflowers that blossom throughout
15504-507: The late Pleistocene (Ice Age) and are linked to the Clovis culture around 9200 BC (over 11,200 years ago), based on evidence found throughout the area and documented at the much-studied Gault Site , midway between Georgetown and Fort Cavazos . When settlers arrived from Europe, the Tonkawa tribe inhabited the area. The Comanches and Lipan Apaches were also known to travel through
15656-563: The limit on terms, Texas remains one of 16 states, territory or jurisdiction (including the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia ) with no gubernatorial term limits. The present constitution of 1876 shortened terms back to two years, but a 1972 amendment increased it to four years again. The gubernatorial election is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November that does not coincide with
15808-401: The local civil officials and called together representatives from both factions. On his suggestion, the two groups agreed to choose a mutually acceptable sheriff to replace Garvey, who had been killed in the firefight. When they could not agree on a candidate, Ross suggested Aten; both groups finally agreed, thus halting the conflict. In March 1890, the U.S. attorney general launched a suit in
15960-442: The massive wildfire. Smith disbanded Ross's company in early September 1860. Within a week, Governor Sam Houston authorized Ross to raise his own company of 60 mounted volunteers to protect the settlements near Belknap from Native American attacks. Ross and his men arrived at Fort Belknap on October 17, 1860, to find the local citizens they were sworn to protect had passed a resolution asking Ross to resign his commission and leave
16112-483: The men of the Sixth Regiment elected him colonel in 1862. He did not want the responsibility of the position and had not wanted to embarrass a friend who wanted the job. Their brigade commander, General Charles W. Phifer , was often absent, leaving Ross in charge. Ross's actions impressed other officers, and several times during the summer of 1862, he was nominated for promotion to brigadier general . Although he
16264-608: The much larger Mansfield Dam was built by the LCRA upstream of Austin to form Lake Travis, a flood-control reservoir. In the early 20th century, the Texas Oil Boom took hold, creating tremendous economic opportunities in Southeast Texas and North Texas. The growth generated by this boom largely passed by Austin at first, with the city slipping from fourth largest to tenth largest in Texas between 1880 and 1920. After
16416-603: The noblest and truest outgrowth of the wisdom taught by its founders." During his second term, Ross was forced to intervene in the Jaybird-Woodpecker War in Fort Bend County . Sheriff Jim Garvey feared armed battles would occur between the white-supremacist Democrats (the Jaybirds) and the black men who had retained political power (who, with their white supporters, were known as Woodpeckers). At Garvey's request, Ross sent two militia companies, which managed to impose
16568-402: The only Texas governors elected to three terms (the terms served by governors Shivers, Daniel, and Connally were two-year terms). On November 8, 2022, current governor Greg Abbott was re-elected and became the fifth Texas governor to serve three terms following Shivers, Daniel, Connally and Perry. In case of a vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. This rule
16720-478: The others to kill him to end his pain. When he was able to travel, he was first carried on a litter suspended between two mules, and then on the shoulders of his men. He recovered fully, but experienced some pain for much of the rest of the year. In his written report, Van Dorn praised Ross highly. The Dallas Herald printed the report on October 10, and other state newspapers also praised Ross's bravery. General Winfield Scott learned of Ross's role and offered him
16872-427: The peak of the blackouts an estimated 40% of Austin Energy homes were without power. Starting on February 15, Austin Water received reports of pipe breaks, hourly water demand increased from 150 million gallons per day (MGD) on February 15 to a peak hourly demand of 260 MGD on February 16. On the morning of February 17 demand increased to 330 MGD, the resulting drop of water pressure caused the Austin area to enter into
17024-602: The previous longest time being three days in January 1985 . Lack of winterization in natural gas power plants , which supply a large amount of power to the Texas grid , and increased energy demand caused ERCOT and Austin Energy to enact rolling blackouts in order to avoid total grid collapse between February 15 and February 18. Initial rolling blackouts were to last for a maximum of 40 minutes, however lack of energy production caused many blackouts to last for much longer, at
17176-487: The public schools. He also encouraged the legislature to enact antitrust laws. These were passed March 30, 1889, a full year before the federal government enacted the Sherman Antitrust Act . His reform acts were beneficial for the state, leading Ross to become the only Texas governor to call a special session of the legislature to deal with a treasury surplus. During his term, the legislature agreed to allow
17328-412: The public to vote on a state constitutional amendment for the prohibition of alcohol. Ross vehemently opposed the measure, saying, "No government ever succeeded in changing the moral convictions of its subjects by force." The amendment was defeated by over 90,000 votes. When Ross took the governor's oath of office, Texas had only four state-owned charitable institutions—two insane asylums, an institute for
17480-532: The raiders to their winter village along the Pease River . As the village contained at least 500 warriors and many women and children, the posse returned to the settlements to recruit additional fighters. Ross requested help from the US Army at Camp Cooper, which sent 21 troops. Immediately after the soldiers arrived on December 11, Ross and 39 Rangers departed for the Comanche village. On December 13, they met
17632-518: The railroads to regulate themselves through competition. No other Democrats placed their names in contention at the nominating convention, and the Republicans chose not to select a candidate, as they were happy with Ross's performance. His sole competition was a Prohibitionist whom Ross defeated by over 151,000 votes. In his second inaugural address, Ross, a true Jeffersonian Democrat , maintained, "a plain, simple government, with severe limitations upon delegated powers, honestly and frugally administered, as
17784-437: The regiment was assigned to Earl Van Dorn, now a major general, with whom Ross had served during the battle at the Wichita Village. Under Van Dorn, the group suffered a defeat at the Battle of Pea Ridge ; Ross attributed their loss solely to Van Dorn, and blamed him for overmarching and underfeeding his troops, and for failing to properly coordinate the plan of attack. In April, the group was sent to Des Arc, Arkansas . Because of
17936-455: The republic's first secretary of state. The city grew throughout the 19th century and became a center for government and education with the construction of the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin . Edwin Waller was picked by Lamar to survey the village and draft a plan laying out the new capital. The original site was narrowed to 640 acres (260 ha) that fronted
18088-440: The residential real estate market has remained relatively strong. As of December 2016 , there were 31 high rise projects either under construction, approved or planned to be completed in Austin's downtown core between 2017 and 2020. Sixteen of those were set to rise above 400 ft (120 m) tall, including four above 600', and eight above 500'. An additional 15 towers were slated to stand between 300' and 399' tall. Austin
18240-536: The river's calm waters, nearly 6 miles (9.7 km) length and straight courses are especially popular with crew teams and clubs. Other recreational attractions along the shores of the lake include swimming in Deep Eddy Pool , the oldest swimming pool in Texas, and Red Bud Isle, a small island formed by the 1900 collapse of the McDonald Dam that serves as a recreation area with a dog park and access to
18392-490: The same time, Ross received word that his first child had died, possibly stillborn. Ross fell ill again in September 1863. From September 27 through March 1864, he suffered recurring attacks of fever and chills every three days, symptomatic of tertiary malaria . Despite his illness, Ross never missed a day of duty, and on December 21, 1863, he was promoted to brigadier general , becoming the ninth-youngest general officer of
18544-435: The scarcity of forage, Ross's cavalry troop was ordered to dismount and send their horses back to Texas. The unit, now on foot, traveled to Memphis, Tennessee , arriving two weeks after the Battle of Shiloh . Ross soon caught a bad cold accompanied by a lingering fever, and was extremely ill for eight weeks. By the time he considered himself cured, his weight had dwindled to only 125 lb (57 kg). Over Ross's protests,
18696-609: The summer of 2011, caused many wildfires throughout Texas, including notably the Bastrop County Complex Fire in neighboring Bastrop, Texas. In the fall of 2018, Austin and surrounding areas received heavy rainfall and flash flooding following Hurricane Sergio . The Lower Colorado River Authority opened four floodgates of the Mansfield Dam after Lake Travis was recorded at 146% full at 704.3 feet (214.7 m). From October 22 to October 29, 2018,
18848-450: The system of segregated public services, racial segregation increased in Austin during the first half of the twentieth century, with African Americans and Mexicans experiencing high levels of discrimination and social marginalization. In 1940, the destroyed granite dam on the Colorado River was finally replaced by a hollow concrete dam that formed Lake McDonald (now called Lake Austin ) and which has withstood all floods since. In addition,
19000-403: The term start date at the first Monday in the November following the election. The 1866 constitution, adopted just after the American Civil War , increased terms to 4 years, but no more than 8 years out of every 12, and moved the start date to the first Thursday after the organization of the legislature, or "as soon thereafter as practicable". The Reconstruction -era constitution of 1869 removed
19152-403: The tribe was preparing to move on. Realizing his own horses were too tired for a long pursuit, Ross resolved to attack immediately, before the civilians were able to rejoin the group. Ross led the Rangers down the ridge, while the soldiers circled around to cut off the Comanche retreat. These "aggressive tactics of carrying the war to the Comanche fireside...ended charges of softness in dealing with
19304-563: The two-year study course in one year. Following his graduation, he enrolled at Florence Wesleyan University in Florence, Alabama. The Wesleyan faculty originally deemed his mathematics knowledge so lacking, they refused his admittance; the decision was rescinded after a professor agreed to tutor Ross privately in the subject. At Wesleyan, students lived with prominent families instead of congregating in dormitories, thus giving them "daily exposure to good manners and refinement". Ross lived with
19456-518: The unofficial slogan " Keep Austin Weird ", which refers to the desire to protect small, unique, and local businesses from being overrun by large corporations. Since the late 19th century, Austin has also been known as the " City of the Violet Crown ", because of the colorful glow of light across the hills just after sunset. Emerging from a strong economic focus on government and education, since
19608-408: The water level of the creek rises high enough to allow swimming , cliff diving , kayaking , paddle boarding , and tubing . Austin is home to more than 50 public pools and swimming holes . These include Deep Eddy Pool , Texas' oldest human-made swimming pool, and Barton Springs Pool , the nation's largest natural swimming pool in an urban area. Barton Springs Pool is spring-fed while Deep Eddy
19760-538: The west or southwest, bringing air flowing from Chihuahuan Desert areas of West Texas or northern Mexico. Winters in Austin are mild, although occasional short-lived bursts of cold weather known as " Blue Northers " can occur. January is the coolest month with an average daytime high of 62.5 °F (17 °C). The overnight low drops to or below freezing 12 times per year, and sinks below 45 °F (7 °C) during 76 evenings per year, mostly between mid-December and mid-February. The average first and last dates for
19912-526: The wife he had not seen in two years. While at home, the Confederate Army began its surrender. He had not rejoined his regiment when it surrendered in Jackson, Mississippi , on May 14, 1865. Because he was not present at the surrender, Ross did not receive a parole protecting him from arrest. As a Confederate Army officer over the rank of colonel, Ross was also exempted from President Andrew Johnson's amnesty proclamation of May 29, 1865. To prevent his arrest and
20064-512: The year but especially in the spring. This includes the popular bluebonnets , some planted by "Lady Bird" Johnson , wife of former President Lyndon B. Johnson . The soils of Austin range from shallow, gravelly clay loams over limestone in the western outskirts to deep, fine sandy loams, silty clay loams, silty clays or clays in the city's eastern part. Some of the clays have pronounced shrink-swell properties and are difficult to work under most moisture conditions. Many of Austin's soils, especially
20216-424: The year, though spring and fall are the wettest seasons. Sunshine is common during all seasons, with 2,650 hours, or 60.3% of the possible total, of bright sunshine per year. Summers in Austin are very hot, with average July and August highs frequently reaching the high-90s (34–36 °C) or above. Highs reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 123 days per year, of which 29 days reach 100 °F (38 °C); all years in
20368-455: Was added only in a 1999 amendment, prior to which the lieutenant governor only acted as governor, except during the time of the 1861 constitution, which said that the lieutenant governor would be styled "Governor of the State of Texas" in case of vacancy. Austin, Texas Austin ( / ˈ ɔː s t ɪ n / AW -stin ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and
20520-647: Was also named to a committee that would determine what officers and employees were needed by the convention. He sat on many other committees, including Revenue and Taxation, the Select Committee on Frontier Affairs, the Select Committee on Education, and the Standing Committee on the Legislative Department. Of the 68 days of the convention, Ross attended 63, voted 343 times, and missed or abstained from voting only 66 times. When
20672-458: Was born on September 27, 1838, in Benton's Post , Iowa Territory . He was the fourth child and second son of Shapley Prince Ross and Catherine Fulkerson. Ross was jointly named for his paternal uncle, Giles O. Sullivan, and his father's grandfather and brother, both named Lawrence Ross. The senior Lawrence Ross had been captured by Native Americans as a child, and lived with them from the time he
20824-608: Was coming to an end. In December, Ross was elected sheriff of McLennan County, "without campaigning or other solicitation". Ross promptly named his brother Peter a deputy, and within two years, they had arrested over 700 outlaws. In 1874, Ross helped establish the Sheriff's Association of Texas. After various state newspapers publicized the event, sheriffs representing 65 Texas counties met in Corsicana in August 1874. Ross became one of
20976-594: Was completed in 2014 with the public-private partnership 1-mile Boardwalk project. Along the shores of Lady Bird Lake is the 350 acres (140 hectares) Zilker Park , which contains large open lawns, sports fields, cross country courses, historical markers, concession stands, and picnic areas. Zilker Park is also home to numerous attractions, including the Zilker Botanical Garden , the Umlauf Sculpture Garden , Zilker Hillside Theater,
21128-515: Was established in 1992 to develop and improve parks in and around Austin. APF works to fill the city's park funding gap by leveraging volunteers, philanthropists, park advocates, and strategic collaborations to develop, maintain and enhance Austin's parks, trails and green spaces. Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) is a river-like reservoir on the Colorado River. The lake is a popular recreational area for paddleboards , kayaks , canoes , dragon boats , and rowing shells . Austin's warm climate and
21280-430: Was extremely popular with journalists. He was interviewed by several large northeastern newspapers, which recounted in detail many of his exploits along the frontier. According to his biographer Judith Brenner, the trip and the resulting exposure for Ross, "excited much interest in Texas among easterners, an interest that would eventually bear fruit in increased investment, tourism, and immigration". Ross declined to become
21432-834: Was fired by the Austin City Council for the city's response to the winter storm. Former City Manager Jesus Garcia was named Interim City Manager. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department received the Excellence in Aquatics award in 1999 and the Gold Medal Awards in 2004 from the National Recreation and Park Association . To strengthen the region's parks system, which spans more than 29,000 acres (11,736 ha), The Austin Parks Foundation (APF)
21584-505: Was granted a 60-day leave and returned home to visit his wife. In early 1862, Ross returned to duty. By late February, 500 troops and he were assigned to raid the Union Army. He led the group 70 mi (110 km) behind the enemy lines, to Keetsville (now Washburn), Missouri, where they gathered intelligence, destroyed several wagonloads of commissary supplies, captured 60 horses and mules, and took 11 prisoners. The following month,
21736-506: Was moved to San Antonio de Béxar and split into three missions. During the 1830s, pioneers began to settle the area in central Austin along the Colorado River . Spanish forts were established in what are now Bastrop and San Marcos . Following Mexico's independence , new settlements were established in Central Texas . In 1835–1836, Texans fought and won independence from Mexico . Texas thus became an independent country with its own president, congress, and monetary system. In 1839,
21888-647: Was not at the scene, but rather died around 1865, not in December 1860, and that only 15 Comanches were in the camp. Its authors found nine primary accounts of the incident given by Ross, each of them differing from the others. When Ross returned home, Houston asked him to disband the company and form a new company of 83 men, promising to send written directives soon. While Ross was in the process of supervising this reorganization, Houston appointed Captain William C. Dalrymple as his new aide-de-camp with overall command of
22040-454: Was not present at the battle, and instead died three or four years later. She identified the man Martinez shot as a Mexican captive, the personal servant of Nocona's wife, Cynthia Ann Parker. In Myth, Memory and Massacre: The Pease River Capture of Cynthia Ann Parker the authors contend most of the material in the 1886 book of James T. Deshields was falsified or exaggerated for political gain. They also offer primary documentation that Peta Nocona
22192-408: Was not promoted at that time, his unit was the only one of the 8–10 dismounted cavalry units in the area to be promised the return of their horses. While still afoot, Ross and his men participated in the Battle of Corinth . Under Ross's command, his Texans twice captured Union guns at Battery Robinett. They were forced to retreat from their position each time as reinforcements failed to arrive. During
22344-516: Was raided several times. In 1845, the family moved to Austin so Ross and his older siblings could attend school. Four years later, they relocated again. By this time, Shapley Ross was well known as a frontiersman, and to coax him to settle in the newly formed community of Waco, the family was given four city lots, exclusive rights to operate a ferry across the Brazos, and the right to buy 80 acres (32 ha) of farmland at US$ 1 per acre. In March 1849,
22496-531: Was six years old until he was rescued at 23. His father, Shapley Ross, was a ranger and Indian agent who often skirmished with Native Americans on the frontier. The experiences and stories told to young Sul caused him to grow up with an animosity towards the native tribes. To differentiate Ross from his uncle and great-grandfather, he was called "Little Sul" when he was a child, and later "Sul". Shortly after Ross's birth, his parents sold their Iowa property and returned to Missouri to escape Iowa's cold weather. In 1839,
22648-661: Was spent on the frontier , where his family founded the town of Waco . Ross attended Baylor University (then located in Independence, Texas ) and Florence Wesleyan University in Florence, Alabama . On one of his summer breaks, he suffered severe injuries while fighting Comanches . After graduation, Ross joined the Texas Rangers , and in 1860, led Texas Rangers in the Battle of Pease River , where federal troops recaptured Cynthia Ann Parker , who had been captured by
22800-723: Was the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of November and December 1864. Ross and his men led the Confederate advance into Tennessee. Between the beginning of November and December 27, his men captured 550 prisoners, several hundred horses, and enough overcoats and blankets to survive the winter chill. Only 12 of Ross's men were killed, with 70 wounded and five captured. By the time Ross began a 90-day furlough on March 13, 1865, he had participated in 135 engagements with Union troops and his horse had been shot out from under him five times, yet he had escaped serious injury. With his leave approved, Ross hurried home to Texas to visit
22952-545: Was to be constructed. A temporary one-story capitol was erected on the corner of Colorado and 8th Streets. On August 1, 1839, the first auction of 217 out of 306 lots total was held. The Waller Plan designed and surveyed now forms the basis of downtown Austin. In 1840, a series of conflicts between the Texas Rangers and the Comanches , known as the Council House Fight and the Battle of Plum Creek , pushed
23104-416: Was too ill to lead them on the expedition, the Indians appointed Sul Ross as commander. With his father's approval, the younger Ross led the 135 warriors to accompany 225 troops led by brevet Major Earl Van Dorn . Ross was given the courtesy title of "Captain" during his command. Native scouts found about 500 Comanches, including Buffalo Hump, camped outside a Wichita village in Indian Territory . Early in
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