Austin History links
ATX History by Subject
On this page you’ll find various topics in Austin history categorized by subject.
Some of these sections are supplementary to particular walking tours. Those are labeled (WT) for walking tour.
Others are deep dives into various topics in Austin history.
Resources related to the Servant Girl Annihilator/ Austin Ripper of 1885 including pictures, transcripts, and news clippings. This information can be used on it’s own if you already know the story of the Servant Girl Murders, or it can be used in tandem with our 5-part series on the Nitty Gritty ATX podcast or with our walking tour Austin Ripper 1885 which you can book on our Tours tab.
The Story of Austin (WT)
Pictures & Links to accompany the Story of Austin Downtown History Walking Tour. Photos of O Henry, William Radam, Susanna Dickenson, Sam Houston, and Mirabeau Lamar. Maps of early Austin and early Texas, newspaper clippings, William Radam’s Microbe Killer.
In the second half of the 1800’s, trains made their way across the west and brought with them a total transformation of the landscape, turning outposts into towns and towns into cities. The rail line made it to Austin in 1871 and began the transformation of Austin from a small town to a small city in just a few decades. Click here for a short history of railroads, trains and depots in Austin, Texas.
