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What’s in a (street) name?
Congress Avenue was designed as Austin’s central street as early as 1839. | Photo via Canva
The city of Austin was incorporated on Dec. 27, 1839, named in honor of empresarioStephen F. Austin. Now that almost 200 years have passed, the city and its streets are chock-full of vibrant history.
In this guide, we’re delving into the history of ATX streets — specifically, how they were named.
Central Austin
“The Drag” on Guadalupe Street looked a little different in 1927.
Photo by Boone via Austin History Center, Austin Public Library
We’re defining this section as the center-most rectangle of the city, stretching from MoPac Expressway to IH-35, between Highway 290 and US-183.
This is where you’ll find most of Austin’s numbered streets, which run east-west and were originally named after trees like Olive, Juniper, Hackberry, and Pecan (like the festival). Meanwhile, Downtown streets running north-south bear the names of Texas rivers.
Barton Springs Road — This road was named after William “Uncle Billy” Barton, an early settler along the springs, who bought the surrounding land in 1837.
Guadalupe Street — A portion of this street on UT Austin’s campus is nicknamed “The Drag” because streetcars were dragged by mules on it in the late 1800s. “Guadalupe” comes from the Guadalupe River, which was named in the 1680s and honors the Virgin Mary.
West Austin
Here’s an undated photo of the MoPac overpass at Windsor Road.
Photo by Ronald Vaughn via Austin History Center, Austin Public Library
One of the oldest districts and neighborhoods in the city, west Austin was established in 1853. The area was the site of many plantations owned by Gov. Pease, who later sold the land and homes to formerly enslaved individuals.
The northern edge of west Austin would later be named Clarksville after a formerly enslaved man named Charles Clark helped establish the neighborhood, one of the first freedom colonies west of the Mississippi River.
Enfield Road — Enfield Road and some surrounding streets, including Cromwell Hill and Poquonock, were named for Gov. Pease’s hometown in Enfield, Connecticut.
Exposition Boulevard — This path on the way to Camp Mabry was the site of many fairs and “expositions.”
Vinyasa Flow with Collette | 10-11 a.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden | Free | Take advantage of the cooler weather in Austin with an outdoor yoga session for beginners and experts alike.
Thursday, Oct. 17
Loving Lamar Thursday | 9-11 a.m. | Lamar Terrace | Free with RSVP | Help take care of our local green spaces by mulching, weeding, seeding, and planting with fellow Austinites.
“It’s Your Move!” | 6-9 p.m. | South Side Gallery at Good Dad Studios Art | Free | Visit the exhibition to see chess sets created by award-winning local artist Laura Sturtz.
Friday, Oct. 18
Gem Capers 2024| Friday, Oct. 18-Sunday, Oct. 20| Times vary | Palmer Events Center | $8 | At this annual gem and mineral show, 30+ vendors will sell jewelry, beads, crystals, fossils, and more.
Saturday, Oct. 19
ATX Theatre Halloween Costume & Thrift Sale | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Memorial United Methodist Church GYM (all the way in the back!) | Free | Join ATX Theatre in paying tribute to Austin’s thrift scene and shop for your Halloween costume directly from the closets of local theatre companies.*
Sunday, Oct. 20
South Austin Block Party | 12-4 p.m. | The Foundry | Cost of purchase | The first-of-its-kind block party will feature craft beer, live music performances, a vendor market, and local food trucks.
Ticket lottery registration is closed for Willie Nelson’s performance in Austin tomorrow, but you can watch it via a livestream at home or a local venue. Armadillo Forever, Cactus Cafe, Pershing, and Deep Eddy Cabaret will hold watch parties for the “Austin City Limits” anniversary extravaganza. (Austin American-Statesman)
Coming Soon
Two new Mediterranean eateries will open in Austin next year: a street food restaurant called BaLaFa and a bakery named Matok. Co-owned by three chefs from Israel, the new concepts will host various pop-ups around town until the 2025 debut. (Eater Austin)
Cause
Anderson High School is collecting donations for its homecoming and prom closet, a wardrobe for students to shop for dresses, men’s shirts and jackets, and accessories at no cost. Students, regardless of their financial situation, can take as many items as they need. Here’s how to donate. (KVUE)
Ranked
Horns up, y’all. UT Austin ranked No. 2 in WalletHub’s new list of the best colleges and universities in Texas for 2025. The home of the Longhorns also landed the No. 11 spot among the best universities in the South, and No. 53 in the list of the best colleges in the US.
Show
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay was spotted filming a show in downtown Georgetown — potentially for an episode of “Kitchen Nightmares.” A filming permit was issued for the address of The Grumpy George, a British pub restaurant. We’ll be tuning in to get the tea.(KXAN)
Number
$125. That’s how much you can save on the HP Smart Tank 6001 printer for a limited time. Bonus: A two-year supply of ink is included with your purchase.*
Health
Imagine sitting in a busy cafe surrounded by chatter and music, yet hearing every word of the conversation crystal clear. With this revolutionary hearing aid, background noise fades, and the voices you care about come through with perfect clarity.*
Category
Arts
🎶 Dancing in the moonlight
In Luke Jerram’s spherical masterpiece, each inch represents eight miles of the moon’s surface. | Photo provided by Museum of the Moon
“Museum of the Moon,” a 23-ft-diameter model of the moon created by British artist Luke Jerram, will soon levitate above The Lawn at Domain NORTHSIDE in Austin.
The traveling exhibit has visited countries across the globe like Australia, Spain, France, United Arab Emirates, China, and more since launching in 2016. Now, Austinites can experience it for themselves Thursday, Oct. 24-Sunday, Oct. 27 and Thursday, Oct. 31-Sunday, Nov. 3. Plus, a launch party at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24 will include a rock orchestra performance with an electric violinist.
The inflatable art was created with NASA imagery of the moon’s lunar surface and is half a million times smaller than the real moon. Learn more about “Museum of the Moon.”
The Buy
The Buy
An easy Halloween costume — snag these Inside Out t-shirts and have the whole family dress up as Disgust, Anger, Anxiety, and your other favorite emotions for a hilarious and topical group look.
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