ROOTED HERE
The history of Austin
Austin brings the Texas capital, university life and live music into a city of distinct neighborhood streets. Explore independent kitchens and shops around downtown, South Congress and East Austin, with Lady Bird Lake providing an outdoor counterpoint.
People who shaped Austin
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Hidden Austin: Stories from Austin’s Original Square Mile
The Austin History Center explores stories from the capital's original square-mile town plan.
Watch on YouTube ↗- 1839
Waterloo becomes a capital
The Republic of Texas purchased the Waterloo site in March and renamed it for Stephen F. Austin. The planned capital city incorporated on December 27.
Austin Public Library: Austin History Center ↗ - 1839
Lots are sold in the new city
The first city-lot auction took place on August 1 at what is now Republic Square. Sales turned the newly laid-out capital into individual building sites and helped finance the republic.
Austin Public Library: Austin History Center ↗ - 1842–1846
A contested seat of government
President Sam Houston moved the government away in 1842, and Austin's population declined sharply. Austin formally became the state capital on February 19, 1846, following Texas annexation.
Austin Public Library: Austin History Center ↗ - 1888
The present Capitol is dedicated
The completed Capitol was formally dedicated in May. Crowds filled Congress Avenue and the grounds for the ceremonies, marking a defining moment in the capital's built landscape.
Texas State Preservation Board: Capitol history ↗
See the history for yourself.
Explore the city’s artistic side. Check current exhibitions and visiting information at The Contemporary Austin.
For deeper research, the Austin History Center provides local-history collections and research resources. Historic photographs have their own permissions; check collection-specific reuse guidance.
Selected milestones researched October 17, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of local history.