Welcome to Austin!

Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas, the county seat of Travis County, and home to the University of Texas at Austin. Situated in Central Texas, Austin is the fourth-largest city in Texas (behind Houston, San Antonio, & Dallas respectively) and the 16th largest in the United States. According to the latest release by the Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2006 Austin had a population of 709,893. The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Area that has a population of more than 1.5 million, and is among the fastest growing cities in the U.S.
Austin was selected as the #2 Best Big City in "Best Places to Live" by Money magazine in 2006, and the "Greenest City in America" by MSN ("Greenest" referring to a commitment to sustainable living).
Residents of Austin are known as "Austinites," and include a mix of university professors, students, politicians, lobbyists, musicians, state employees, high-tech workers, blue-collar workers, and white-collar workers. The city is home to enough large sites of major technology corporations to have earned it the nickname "Silicon Hills." Austin's official slogan promotes the city as "The Live Music Capital of the World", a reference to its status as home to many musicians and music venues. In recent years, many Austinites have also adopted the unofficial slogan "Keep Austin Weird"; this refers partly to the eclectic and progressive lifestyle of many Austin residents, but is also the slogan for a campaign to preserve smaller local businesses and resist excessive commercialization.
Before the arrival of settlers from the United States, the area that later became Austin was inhabited by a variety of nomadic Native American tribes, including the Tonkawa tribe, the Comanches, and the Lipan Apaches.
In the early 1830's the village of Waterloo was established. In 1839, the village of Waterloo was chosen to be the capital of the Republic of Texas. It quickly grew and was renamed in honor of Stephen F. Austin.
The Texas State Capitol was completed in 1888 advertised as the 7th largest building in the world. Funded by the famous XIT ranch, the building still remains part of the Austin skyline. The state capitol building is taller than the United States capitol building.
In September of 1881, Austin public schools held their first classes. The same year, Huston-Tillotson College opened its doors.
In the 1950's, Austin's first research labs and think tanks were built. As Austin's economy prospered, several movie theaters, public pools, and a local library system were opened.
The Austin music scene was born in the 70's when artists such as David Rodriguez and Willie Nelson brought national attention.
Today, Austin is known as much for its cultural life as its high-tech innovations. It is also known for the senators and schoolteachers who shaped its beginnings. The same success that has gained the city a national reputation has brought with it many difficult choices.