Bicentennial Square Monument - 11th St at Congress Ave, Austin TX
N 30° 16.361 W 097° 44.493
14R E 621046 N 3349671
A two-panel steel monument dedicating plaza that preserves the remains of the temporary State Capitol from the 1880s as "Bicentennial Square." Who knew?
Waymark Code: WMH45W
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/19/2013
Views: 9
Mama Blaster went to the University of Texas for 7 years and came out with 2 degrees (one of those degrees was in History). She crawled all over the Capitol grounds and this plaza, but it never registered that this was Bicentennial Square until now! The ruins of the temporary Capitol and historic markers divert attention away from this simple steel monument. It's big, yet almost invisible. :(
Mama Blaster bets that of you asked Austinites where Bicentennial Square is, no one will know. But if you ask them where the Temporary Capitol is, you'll get specific directions. Hopefully this waymark will preserve this plaza's surprising status as Bicentennial Square.
The Old Bakery next door served as the Bicentennial headquarters for the City of Austin, so it makes sense that Bicentennial Square is where it is.
From the City of Austin website: (
visit link)
"History
The Old Bakery, a registered national landmark, has graced Congress Avenue since 1876, when it was built by Swedish immigrant Charles Lundberg. The building was used as a bakery till 1936, and after that for a variety of purposes.
. . .
The City of Austin Office of Bicentennial Affairs and the Texas Bicentennial Information Center occupied the building between July 1974 and September 1976. . .' [end]
The monument is 2 steel panels with an alphabetical list of very county and city that participated in Bicentennial events. It's a long list since Texas has 254 counties!!!
Visit Instructions:A picture of the location you are visiting. Including your GPS is not required--unless you use that as a [optional] signature item.
As a suggestion, please include your own thoughts and narrative about the waymark. Please, include any more information as you can that is applicable to the location.