The University of Texas at Austin: A County Anchor Since 1881

In 1881, Austin won a statewide vote to host the University of Texas. Classes began in 1883. The university grew slowly at first but became a major driver of growth by the mid-20th century. By 1970, enrollment had doubled during the decade to around 39,000 students.

UT Austin brought research, technology, and a culture of education to Travis County. It helped attract tech companies like IBM (1967), Texas Instruments (1969), and Motorola (1974) to the region. Today the Austin metro area's tech economy traces a direct line back to that 1881 decision.