Texas Capitol History

It's 1986 in Austin and you're watching @KarlRove claim that he found an electronic listening device in his office, the same day as the Clements-White debate #txlege @fox7austin

I'm telling everyone who asks here in France that I'm from Texas. European wine snobs love to turn up their noses at American wine, but they conveniently forget that their precious vineyards would be literal dirt if Central Texas hadn't bailed them out. Back in the 1800s, a nasty root-eating bug pushed the French wine industry to the brink of total extinction until they came begging the Lone Star State for help. Today, a whopping 80% to 90% of all grapevines in France are physically spliced onto the rugged, subterranean roots of the stubborn Central Texas Mustang Grape. Because those nasty bugs are still chilling in the European soil today, French grapes cannot survive on their own. Every single bottle of overpriced French wine you buy is a total hybrid—delicate European fruit up top, riding piggyback on a tough-as-nails Texan bodyguard down below. The French really ought to be writing "thank you" notes to the rocky, sun-baked hills of Central Texas every single day. While roots from other states withered and quit, those Central Texas vines had spent centuries surviving brutal droughts and limestone dirt, making them completely immune to the bugs. In 1887, thousands of rugged Central Texas cuttings were shipped across the pond, and French farmers had to slice open their fancy vines and glue them onto Texas muscle just to keep from going belly up.

Today in Austin History: Week-long Capitol Dedication Begins AUSTIN, TX May 14, 1888 (@fox7austin) — 138 years ago today... Crowds packed the sidewalks and second-floor balconies along Congress Avenue to watch the start of the week-long Texas Capitol dedication. This photo from the Austin History Center shows a military parade featuring troops and drill teams from several different states marching toward the new building. Spectators arrived in their best formal attire, with women in gowns and men in suits lining the route to witness the processional. The parade kicked off a series of events that brought thousands of visitors to Austin from across the country. Although the Capitol was already finished, this 1888 celebration marked the formal acceptance of the granite structure. The military units remained a primary draw throughout the week, participating in precision drill competitions and ceremonies on the Capitol grounds. The week in Austin featured a variety of public events throughout the city. The schedule included nightly fireworks displays, choral concerts and a grand dedication ball. Local businesses and temporary vendors hosted visitors arriving by excursion trains, while the formal ceremonies culminated with keynote speeches delivered from the Capitol portico to officially turn the building over to the state. #txlege