History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. Page: 72
[7], iv-vii, [2], 10-826, [2] p., [56] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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72 HITR OFTXS
W. Burton, William Menifee and J. Campbell,
who made choice of the location where
Austin now stands. Although at that date
the new town, which was immediately laid
out, was situated on the extreme frontier of
the settlements, the commissioners showed
their wisdom in their selection.. They aimed
at establishing a permanent capital, which
would occupy a central position when Texas
had become a thickly populated country; and
though the government would be near the
Indians, Austin as the seat would draw settlers
more rapidly westward.
During the month of November, 1840, the
congress assembled there, surrounded by the
wilderness. The seat of government for the
Republic of Texas, like that of most other
new governments, was subject to frequent
change. The following is the order, with the
dates:
1. San Felipe, November, 1835.
2. Washington, March, 1836.
3. Harrisburg, same month.
4. Galveston, April 16, 1836.
5. Velasco, May, 1836.
6. Columbia, October, 1836.
7. Houston, May, 1837.
8. Austin, October, 1839.
9. Houston, in 1842 a short time.
10. Washington, November, 1842.
11. Austin, 1845 to the present time.
The new State capitol has a length of 566
feet 6 inches, inclusive of porticos; width,
288 fet t 10 inches at widest point; height,
311 feet from grade line to top of statute on
dome. It contains 258 rooms, and is second
o ly ill sizs. to the capitol at Washington,
sall is the oeveoft.ll largest building in the
n St te executive offices are located on
the fir-c floor, as follows: Governor, secretary
ot State, comptroller, treasurer, super-.intendent of public instruction, adjutantgeneral,
attorney-general, commissioner of
agriculture, insurance, statistics and history,
superintendent of public buildings and
grounds and State geologist; also the police
department and offices of the electrician and
janitor.
The senate chamber and hall of house of
representatives, State library and readingrooms,
reception and consultation rooms of
the governor, president of the senate, speaker
of the house and the legislative committee
rooms are located on the second floor.
The supreme court, court of appeals, law
library, galleries of the house of representatives
and senate chamber, and reporters' galleries,
and marshal's, clerks' and other offices
of the judicial department are located on the
third floor.
The fourth floor consists of twenty-three
unassigned rooms.
All the conveniences necessary to a comp!ete
modern structure have been incorporated
in the building.
The following brief description of the
capitol is copied from the "Official Guide to
the Texas Capitol," by Charles N. McLaugh.
lin:
" The building is located on a commanding
elevation, near the center of the city of
Austin, in the square originally selected for
the capitol of the Republic of Texas., It is
shaped like a Greek cross, with projecting
center and flanks, having a rotunda and
dome at the intersection of the main corridors.
The exterior walls are built of Texas
red granite, from the inexhaustible quarries
of Burnet county. This granite is pronounced
by experts to be equal to any in the
world, both in beauty and imperishability.
The stately ideas of ancient builders have
been blended with the useful of the modern,72
HISTOY OFTEXAS.
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History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties. (Book)
Book containing a brief overview of the state of Texas and more specific focus on six specific counties, with extensive biographical sketches about persons related to the history of those places. An alphabetical index of persons who are included follows the table of contents at the front of the book.
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Lewis Publishing Company. History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties., book, 1893; Chicago, Illinois. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/m1/77/?rotate=90: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .