Violet Crown Chronicles

Theft of Governor’s Pants – March Mischief – Police Calls

March 17, 2016 ·

"Officer Sendry reports that someone entered Gov. Ireland's room last night and stole a pair of pants and one dollar in the pockets." -- 17 MAR 1885. Austin Police Calls. Gov. John Ireland The above incident is the perfect metaphor for Austin in the spring of 1885 -- a time when it was possible for someone to sneak into the Governor's Mansion, enter his bedroom and steal his pants away in the middle of the night, never… Read more.

The Great Bat Slaughter of 1885

March 23, 2013 ·

Austin, Texas is the seasonal home to a large population of Mexican free-tailed bats who spend their summers under the Congress Avenue bridge on the edge of downtown.  According to Wikipedia it is the largest urban colony in North America, with an estimated 1.5 million bats. The Congress Avenue bat colony is a popular tourist attraction and bat aficionados line the bridge on summer evenings to witness the impressive display as the colony departs into the skies over Austin at… Read more.