Travis County, Texas
Travis County is located in south central Texas astride the Balcones Fault, the boundary between the Edwards Plateau to the west and the Blackland Prairie to the east. It is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. In the year 2009, the population was 1,026,158; the county has gained more than 400,000 residents since 1990. Its county seat is Austin,[1] the capital of Texas. The county is named in honor of William Barret Travis, the commander of the Republic of Texas forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
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History Timeline
- 8000 b.c. Early native American inhabitants include Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, Comanche, Kiowa.[2]
- 1519-1685 Hernando Cortez and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda claim Texas for Spain.
- 1691 Domingo Terán de los Ríos makes an inspection tour for Spain to East Texas.
- 1730 The Spanish relocate missions of San Francisco de los Neches, Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hasinai, and San José de los Nazonis near Barton Springs.[4]
- 1821 Mexico claims its independence from Spain. Anglos from the north settle in Texas and claim Mexican citizenship.
- 1827 Mexican government grants Stephen F. Austin his third "Little Colony," headquartered at Mina (Bastrop) which gave offshoot to Travis County.
- 1829, September 15 - Mexican President Vicente Ramon Guerrero, himself an ex-slave of Spanish, African and Native American descent, emancipates all slaves within the Republic of Mexico:[5][6]
1st - Slavery is abolished in the republic.
- 2nd - Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free.
- 3rd - When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide. And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated.
- Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829.
- Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra
- 1830s Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, Reuben Hornsby, Jacob M. Harrell, and John F. Webber become early settlers.
- 1836
- March 2 - Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico establishes the Republic of Texas.
- March 6 - The Alamo falls.
- April 21•22 - Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.
- May 14 - Santa Anna signs the Treaties of Velasco.
- December 27 - Stephen F. Austin dies at the age of 43.[7]
- May 14 - Santa Anna signs the Treaties of Velasco.
- April 21•22 - Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.
- March 6 - The Alamo falls.
- 1840
- Congress of the Republic of Texas chooses Waterloo as the site of the new capital, renames it Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin.
- Congress establishes Travis County, naming it in honor of William B. Travis. Austin is the county seat.
- 1842
- Sam Houston moves the government of the Republic of Texas from Austin to Houston when Mexican troops invaded San Antonio.
- The Texas Archives War erupts when Houston tries to also move the archives.
- 1845
- October, Texas government returns to Austin.
- December 29 - Texas Annexation by the United States
- 1846, May 13 - The United States Congress officially declares war on Mexico.
- 1848, February 2 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ends the Mexican-American War.
- 1852 The Austin Railroad Association established to encourage railroad construction to the area.
- 1854 Texas Governor's Mansion built in Austin. Architect Abner Cook.
- 1856 Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired established.
- 1860 Population 4,931 whites, 3,136 slaves, 13 free blacks.
- 1861
- Travis County votes against secession from the Union.
- February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union.
- March 2 - Texas joins the Confederate States of America.
- February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union.
- 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation.[8]
- 1865
- April 9 • Robert E. Lee formally surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House.
- April 15 • President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.
- June 19 • Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of all slaves. It is the first time African Americans in Texas know of the Emancipation. The date becomes celebrated annually in Texas as Juneteenth, and later as an official state holiday known as Emancipation Day.[9]
- December 6 • The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits slavery.
- June 19 • Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of all slaves. It is the first time African Americans in Texas know of the Emancipation. The date becomes celebrated annually in Texas as Juneteenth, and later as an official state holiday known as Emancipation Day.[9]
- April 15 • President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.
- 1870, March 30 - The United States Congress readmits Texas into the Union.
- 1871 Houston and Texas Central Railway completes track to Austin.
- 1881 International and Great Northern Railroad completes track from Austin to Laredo.
- 1882 The Austin and Northwestern Railroad lay track between Austin and Burnet.
- 1883 University of Texas at Austin becomes the flagship for the University of Texas System.
- 1885 Texas State Capitol built of pink granite. Renaissance Revival architecture. Architect Elijah E. Myers.
- 1902 Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad line arrives in Travis County.
- 1942 Bergstrom Air Force Base activated, named in honor of Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, first Austinite killed in World War II.
- 1950’s-1960’s Desegregation opens doors to minorities achievement and integration into the mainstream establishment in the county.
- 1951 Texas Instruments founded.
- 1955 Tracor, Incorporated headquarters in Austin.
- 1957 IBM opens its Austin branch.
- 1966 Charles Whitman murders his wife and mother in Austin. He then climbs to the University of Texas tower and begins a sniper attack, killing 14 people and injuring 32 others.
- 1971 Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum dedicated on the University of Texas at Austin campus.
- 1974 Motorola opens in Austin.
- 1983 Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation headquarters in Austin.
- 1984 Michael Dell founds Dell Computers while a student at University of Texas at Austin.
- 1987 Sematech headquarters in Austin.
- 2003
- February 1 - Space Shuttle Columbia breaks apart over Texas during re-entry.
- September 11, Memorial to 9-11 World Trade Center victims is dedicated at the Texas State Cemetery.[10]
- 2010, February 18 - Joseph Andrew Stack III, flying his Piper Cherokee PA-28-236 (Aircraft registration: N2889D) plane, crashes into Building I of the Echelon office complex in northwest Austin in a suicide attack against the Internal Revenue Service.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,022 square miles (2,647 km²). 989 square miles (2,562 km²) are land and 33 square miles (85 km²) (3.21%) are water.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Williamson County (north)
- Bastrop County (east)
- Caldwell County (south)
- Hays County (southwest)
- Blanco County (west)
- Burnet County (northwest)
National protected area
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 47,386 | — | |
| 1910 | 55,620 | 17.4% | |
| 1920 | 57,616 | 3.6% | |
| 1930 | 77,777 | 35.0% | |
| 1940 | 111,053 | 42.8% | |
| 1950 | 160,980 | 45.0% | |
| 1960 | 212,136 | 31.8% | |
| 1970 | 295,516 | 39.3% | |
| 1980 | 419,573 | 42.0% | |
| 1990 | 576,407 | 37.4% | |
| 2000 | 812,280 | 40.9% | |
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile (317/km²). There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile (131/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.21% White, 9.26% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.56% other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 28.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.0% were of German, 7.7% English, 6.6% Irish and 5.5% American ancestry according to Census 2000. English is the sole language spoken at home by 71.42% of the population age 5 or over, while 22.35% speak Spanish, and a Chinese language (including Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Cantonese) is spoken by 1.05% [1].
Travis County Justice Complex Ned Granger Administration Building in Austin A county complex at 1010 Lavaca Street Health and Human Services and Veterans ServicesThe 2005 American Community Survey conducted by the census indicated that 25.1% of Travis County's population spoke Spanish in the home.[citation needed] In 2000 there were 320,766 households, of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.60% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.70% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were composed of individuals and 4.40% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.15.
The population's age distribution was 23.80% under the age of 18, 14.70% from 18 to 24, 36.50% from 25 to 44, 18.20% from 45 to 64, and 6.70% age 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 104.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.50 males.
The median income per household in the county was $46,761, and the median income per family was $58,555. Males had a median income of $37,298 versus $30,452 for females. The per capita income in the county was $25,883. About 7.70% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.90% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.
Travis County, along with other Texas counties, has one of the nation's highest property tax rates. In 2007, the county was ranked 37th in the nation for property taxes as percentage of the homes value on owner occupied housing. The list only includes counties with a population over 65,000 for accuracy[11]. Travis County also ranked in the top 100 for amount of property taxes paid and for percentage of taxes of income. Part of this is due to the complex Robin Hood plan school financing law that exists in Texas.[12]
Communities
Cities, towns, and villages
(a growing portion of southern Round Rock also extends into northern Travis county) (a growing portion of Elgin extends into Travis County)
Census-designated places
- Anderson Mill
- Barton Creek
- Garfield
- Hudson Bend
- Jollyville
- Lost Creek
- Onion Creek
- Shady Hollow
- Wells Branch
- Windemere
Unincorporated areas
Culture
Austin ZooThe Austin Zoo is located at 10807 Rawhide Trail in an unincorporated area.[13] The Texas chainsaw massacre prequels are set in Travis county, Texas.
Corrections
The Travis County Jail and the Travis County Criminal Justice Center are located in Downtown Austin.[14][15] The Travis County Correctional Complex is located in an unincorporated area in Travis County, next to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.[16]
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Travis County Unit, a state jail for men, in eastern Austin.[17]
References
- ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Handbook of Texas, Travis County
- ^ The Six National Flags of Texas
- ^ Texas Historical Markers, Barton Springs
- ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero
- ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence
- ^ Texas State Cemetery, Stephen Fuller Austin
- ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation
- ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth
- ^ Texas Escapes, 9-11 Memorial
- ^ http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/1888.html
- ^ Postrel, Virginia (October 7, 2004). "Economic Scene; A Texas experiment that shifts money from rich to poor school districts is turning into a major policy disaster". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04E5DB173BF934A35753C1A9629C8B63. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
- ^ "Contact Us." Austin Zoo. Retrieved on February 1, 2009.
- ^ "Travis County Jail (TCJ)." Travis County Sheriff's Office. Accessed September 14, 2008.
- ^ "Criminal Justice Center (CJC)." Travis County Sheriff's Office. Accessed September 14, 2008.
- ^ "Travis County Correctional Complex (TCCC)." Travis County Sheriff's Office. Accessed September 14, 2008.
- ^ "Travis County (TI)." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Accessed September 14, 2008.
External links
| Austin portal |
- Travis County Government website
- Travis County from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Travis County Law Library
- Travis County, Texas at the Open Directory Project
| Burnet County | Williamson County | |||
| Blanco County | Bastrop County | |||
| Travis County, Texas | ||||
| Hays County | Caldwell County |
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Coordinates: 30°20′N 97°47′W / 30.33°N 97.78°W
Categories: Texas counties | Travis County, Texas | Austin • Round Rock metropolitan area
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