Congress Avenue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Congress Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Austin, Texas USA. The street is a six-lane, tree lined avenue that cuts through the middle of the city from far south Austin and goes over Town Lake leading to the Texas State Capitol in the heart of downtown.
The Congress Avenue Bridge over Town Lake houses the world's largest urban bat population. When the bridge was refurbished in the 1980s, the new design created crevices underneath the structure that were ideal for bats to roost in. In the summer, the colony has up to 1.5 million Mexican Free-tailed Bats.[1] The bats migrate to Mexico for the winter.
While filming Man of the House (2005 comedy film) in Austin, Texas, Tommy Lee Jones, who suffers from chiroptophobia refused to go near the Congress Avenue bridge after finding out about the Mexican Free-tailed Bat colony.[citation needed]
[edit] History
Edwin Waller, the first mayor of Austin, designed Congress Avenue to be Austin's most prominent street. Early structures along Congress Avenue included government buildings, hotels, saloons, retail stores and restaurants. By the late 1840s "The Avenue" formed a well-established business district. The mid-1870s introduced gaslight illumination and mule-driven streetcars as well as construction of a new Travis County courthouse at Eleventh Street. The present Texas Capitol at the north end of Congress Avenue was built in 1888. The original dirt street was bricked in 1910. Trolley cars operated on the Avenue until 1940.
The area of South Congress south of Town Lake used to be very seedy where the local motels rented by the hour rather than the day. These were raided by the police many times finding state legislators and their indiscretions. And only recently in the 90's, this area has been transformed to a much more hip and safe environment. The past is still reflected in many of the shops and bars along its sidewalk but they are now sought after for their creative and nostalgic flare. This area is often referred to as SoCo[2] and is right next to the ever popular Travis Heights neighborhood.
[edit] Recognition
In recognition of its architectural and historical significance, Congress Avenue from First Street to the Capitol was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
