Thompson Karen Ruth - Austin, Texas

In 1839, King Louis Philippe of France sent Count Jean Pierre I. Alphonse Dubois de Saligny to the Republic of Texas to investigate whether the French government should recognize Texas as an independent nation. Count de Saligny informed the King, Texas will bring great advantages to France for many years to come. On September 25, 1839, France recognized the Republic of Texas by signing a Treaty of Amity, Navigation, and Commerce.

When de Saligny arrived in Austin in 1840, he found only log buildings and animals running loose on dirt roads. He purchased land, and by the middle of 1841 had built the French Legation embassy from lumber hauled by wagon from Bastrop. De Saligny left Austin and by 1848, Dr. Joseph W. Robertson had purchased the house. The Robertson family sold it to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1948 and the DRT continues to operate it as a museum. (Copyright Ward Winnette, 1999.)

The most interesting French Legation story is referred to as the Pig War. Count de Saligny fed corn to his horses, and the pigs of innkeeper Richard Bullock would trample down the stable fence to feed on the corn. Arguments ended when de Salignys servant Pluyette killed many of Bullocks hogs on the morning of February 19, 1841. Bullock made a claim to the Republic of Texas government for payment of his hogs and the Count left town for a ten-month stay in New Orleans. (Courtesy Betsy Warren.)

Judge Edwin Waller, Austins first mayor, also receives credit for laying out the city of Austin with wide avenues and streets sectioned in a square. The Congress allowed Waller $113,000 in funds to create the capital city. He hired two hundred raw recruits of every race, mostly inexperienced, to do the work. One night, Native Americans raided the work camp on Waller Creek and scalped two of the men. (Courtesy Lel Hawkins.)

This building was erected in 1883 as the temporary capitol. It was located on the corner of Congress Avenue and 11th Street. After the present capitol was built in 1888, this building served as Austins first vocational school. It burned to the ground in 1899. (Courtesy Lel Hawkins.)

Texas needed a proper capitol building, but had no funds. In 1875 Congress provided that three million acres of Public Domain are hereby appropriated and set apart for the purpose of erecting a new State Capitol. In 1882, after surveying, the land was traded to Abner Taylor, Amos Babcock and Company for building the capitol. Their land became famous as the XIT Ranch, and Texas acquired the largest capitol building in the United States without spending any public funds.

Governor Allan Shivers is shown at his inauguration on January 20, 1953. Governor Shivers (19071985) had first been elected lieutenant governor in 1946, was re-elected in 1948, and became governor upon the death of Governor Beauford Jester. He went on to serve 7 and one-half years as governor. (Courtesy Tom Rogers.)

The Texas Capitol Building is pictured here at night. Since its completion in 1888, it has been the major attraction in Austin.

Ada Trevino is shown with her son at the capitol. (Courtesy Danny Camacho.)

These young ladies were enjoying an outing on the capitol grounds in 1916. This greenhouse, originally used by the gardeners, was later moved to the state cemetery on Navasota Street. (Courtesy Carl McQueary.)