Some People Don’t Know That Austin Was The First To Do These 9 Things
By Elisa Regulski|Updated on June 01, 2023(Originally published May 27, 2023)
×
Elisa Regulski
Author
Elisa is a passionate travel writer with over five years of experience. After graduating with a B.F.A in acting from Oklahoma City University, Elisa earned a M.A in mass communication From Texas State University. When she's not writing about all of the amazing places throughout the U.S., she can be heard singing with her band.
Austinites are true trailblazers, y’all. From our unabashed weirdness to our innovative and vibrant tech scene, the people of Bat City are always looking for new ways to move forward. So take a look at these nine examples. Some people don’t know about these amazing things from Austin, TX that make fun facts for your next trivia gathering!
In the 1970s, with the help of Willie Nelson himself, Austin saw a cultural shift sweep through the city. Thanks to the Armadillo World Headquarters and all of Austin's local creatives, the cosmic cowboy scene took flight. Today, it's not uncommon to see artistic types rocking the Willie braids and playing a guitar along Barton Springs.
In the late 1980s UT grad student Carl Deckard and Mechanical engineering professor Joseph Beaman invented selective laser sintering -- the first kind of 3D printing. This process builds objects one layer at a time from a thin layer of powder. How's that for cool Austin, TX inventions?
Sure, food trailers have been around since the chuckwagon days, but Austin has taken this mobile eatery to the next level. Behold: the food trailer park! In Austin, the food trucks are so good, guests come to them (not the other way around).
Michael Dell started his tech venture as a pre-med student at The University of Texas. He began making PC upgrade kits in his dorm room, but soon sold his company for over $50,000. Today, Dell Computers sits in north Austin and is part of the city's booming tech culture.
The Circuit of the Americas was the first racetrack built specifically for Formula One in the U.S. Located south of the city, this track hosts the Formula One United States Grand Prix and the Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas.
The Alamo Drafthouse opened its doors in Austin in 1997 and has been delighting movie-goers ever since. With craft cocktails, movie-themed menus, and lavish cinematic events, there's no other movie theater quite like this one.
Other cities have adopted Austin's iconic saying and claimed it as their own (looking at you, Portland), but the truth of the matter is that Austin did it first. In 2000, a local radio listener called into KOOP and praised the show that "kept Austin weird." From there, bumper stickers were made, T-shirts were printed, and this slogan became the focal point of Austin's quirky way of life.
South By Southwest takes Austin by storm every March, giving birth to a plethora of new ideas. Did you know that Twitter, Foursquare, and GroupMe all launched at SXSW?
Wow, it’s hard to believe that these are things Austin did first!
Did you know about any of these exciting facts about Austin, Texas?
If so, which ones? What’s your favorite Austin invention? We’d love to read your thoughts in the comments section below!
