Congress Avenue and the Texas State Capitol

When Austin was surveyed as the new capital in 1839, its original 640-acre plan placed Congress Avenue as the main street. It runs from the Colorado River (now Lady Bird Lake) north to the Texas State Capitol. This layout has not changed in almost 190 years.

The Capitol building sits on a hill at the north end of Congress Avenue. Travis County's courthouse and many state government offices are clustered in the downtown core. This concentration of state government is one reason Travis County functions differently from most Texas counties — state policy decisions are made here.