The City of Austin will mark its 175th birthday Dec. 27, but Mayor Lee Leffingwell has already begun celebrating with two events planned for today. The first event is a reception at 12:30 p.m. at City Hall, where Leffingwell and Austin History Center Manager Mike Miller will say a few words about the history of Austin and cut the city’s birthday cake. The Austin History Center is also hosting a reception at 6:30 p.m. to open its new exhibit “Austin 175: From Cabins to Skyscrapers.” The mayor will join Dr. Jeff Kerr, author of the recent book “The Embattled Birth of Austin,” to share some stories from Austin’s past and thoughts about its future. The History Center is at 810 Guadalupe Street.
Mark Richardson is a multimedia journalist, editor and writer who has worked in digital, print and broadcast media for three decades. He is a nationally recognized editor and reporter who has covered government,... More by Mark Richardson