SolarCity recently announced we’re expanding our service territory in Texas, bringing our clean, affordable solar energy to homeowners in Austin.
Our newest solar city is already a shining star for many reasons – it’s the capital of Texas, also known as the “Live Music Capital of the World”, that has long had a reputation for pursuing sustainability and marching to the beat of its own drum. Oh, and did we mention it’s one of the sunniest cities in America?
Here are a few more fun facts about quirky, warm, wonderful Austin, Texas:
It’s weird…and it likes it that way
You may already know that the city’s unofficial slogan is “Keep Austin Weird” – but do you know where it came from? In 2000, local librarian Red Wassenich coined the phrase when calling in to a local radio show, and in the 16 years since, the motto has symbolized residents’ values and desire to stay authentic. You’ll find the saying proudly displayed around town, on everything from bumper stickers to shirts.
It’s blown up – literally and figuratively
Austin has its own volcano. Lying seven miles south of the city center is Pilot Knob, a now extensively eroded volcano that was active some 80 million years ago. The geologic feature is shrouded in legend as well – it’s rumored that both indigenous tribes and Spaniards buried their treasures on the hill.
Speaking of hills: another nickname the city has acquired is Silicon Hills, for the tech scene that blossomed in the 1990s and has continued growing since. Today Austin houses everything from tech giants to stealth mode startups, and is one of the top areas for venture capital in the U.S.
Tech jobs are just one of the reasons Austin was named America’s fastest growing big city, according to a recently published census. The Austin region passed the 2 million population mark last year, with an estimated 110 people moving to the Central Texas area every day.
Another reason people are flocking to the city is for the music, of course. As mentioned earlier, Austin is officially known as the Live Music Capital of the World. The city ranks #1 in music venues per capita. With over 1,900 local bands and artists performing at almost 200 live music venues around town, you can catch any show from country to blues to rock n’ roll, every day of the week.
