Our First Trip to see Downtown Austin

Yesterday, February 2, we did a little sight-seeing in downtown Austin.  

We saw the Capitol Building and the Visitor's Center there.

On our way there we drove through the University of Texas.  It was nice--small streets though and still pretty crowded for being a Saturday.

Right near the campus was an old historic home that we wanted to see.  But Glenn had fallen asleep in the car and we couldn't find parking.  So we took some pictures from the car as we drove around it.

It was pretty large.  I don't know if it is a private residence or if we can go in it.  But this last picture show that it is pretty deep.  There are other old homes that we will go see too.

Then we went to the Capitol.  

Like I mentioned, Glenn had fallen asleep...

...but we got him out without waking him.  Once we got inside and were watching one of the films did he finally wake up.

Inside they had some fun things for the kids to do: dress up like cowboys and sit on a saddle.

( I did it too.)

They also had the original star that had been on top of the Capitol Building.  We learned later during the tour that the statue that was holding this star had been removed because she was getting holes.  Inside they found a sort of time capsule.  They found newspapers and all kind of documents, locks of women's hair, etc. inside.  It was a pretty cool find.

We also saw different flags that Texas has used.

This last flag is still the one Texas uses today.

This was a very large building!  If I remember correctly it is the largest in square feet, and 4th largest in height--but second largest dome capitol building in the U.S.  Originally it had been built with limestone, but it had been burned in a fire.  It was rebuilt using Texas red granite.

Inside the Capitol Building we got a tour.  This picture is of David Crockett, or as most of us think "Davy" Crockett.  I mostly thought of him as a frontiersmen, but he actually very political.  He served in the Texas Revolution and died in the Battle of the Alamo.

 A statue of Stephen F. Austin.  This city is named for this man.  He also is known as the Father of Texas.  He led a successful colonization of the region in Texas by bringing 300 families from the United States.

 A statue if Sam Houston.  He was a politician and a soldier.  He is best known for his leading role of bringing Texas into the United States.  The city of Houston is named after this man.

Everywhere around the building you can see the "lone star" and the Texas state seal.  

 (Inside the dome.  That star is 8 feet across...so it was way up there!!)

 We thought this was pretty cool.  Every door hinge in the building had these. 

Texans sure do have Texas Pride!

Around the rotunda they had a picture for each on of their governors.  This, obviously, is George W. Bush.

We got to see both the State Senate room and the House of Representative.  Members of the YMCA were there doing some kind of business and so we got to watch for a few minutes at each one.

 We were happy to see these words in there:  In God We Trust!!

We also saw the library...

...Sam Houston's desk.

Outside the Capitol.

It was a beautiful day in Austin and Glenn loved running around the statues and monuments.  

(And getting his picture taken.  )

 I sure love my boys!

They also had these old historic trees too.  They were interesting because their branches had dipped really low--one had even gone through the ground and started growing back up again!

One unique thing about Texas is that it has been under six different nations: Spain, France, Mexico, it's own Republic, the United States, and the Confederate States of America.  That's where the term "six flags over Texas" comes from.  

A view of downtown Austin from the freeway

We ended our sight-seeing by eating at Rudy's BBQ.  It was pretty good, despite what the sign says. : D