Austin, TX

From the Statesman archives: How Mueller neighborhood streets got their Austin names

Published

12 months ago

March 30, 2025

From the Statesman archives: How Mueller neighborhood streets got their Austin names

Tooling through Mueller, have you ever wondered how the streets of this 21st-century neighborhood, such as Camacho, Taniguchi and Scarbrough, earned their names?

We offer partial historical answers in today’s column.

By way of background, a stroll through the American-Statesman archives reveals several strata of history about Austin street names.

1839: The original map of Austin, drawn by master surveyor L.J. Pilie, reveals three types of street names: 1) north-south streets named after Texas rivers, which is still the case; 2) east-west streets named after Texas trees (changed to numerals in 1886, but a change adopted slowly); 3) other names, including the grand-sounding Congress Avenue for the wide street that bisected the new capital of the Texas Republic, as well as names that represented different types of boundaries (East, West, Water).
1886: City leaders replaced the tree names with numbered streets on Sept. 21, 1886. Edwin Waller, charged with hacking the city out of the wilderness, had actually preferred numbers for east-west streets, as a July 11, 1839, letter to Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar proves. Some maps from the late 19th century and early 20th century show both numbers and tree names for the same streets.
Late 1800s-early 1900s: As Austin slipped outside of the downtown grid and the garden plots to the east, more streets were named after early Texas leaders and Austin residents (Lamar Boulevard, Barton Springs Road); or nearby towns already named after early Texans (Burnet Road, Cameron Road); local landmarks (Asylum Road, later renamed Guadalupe Street); or nearby communities (Dessau Road, Old Fredericksburg Road, later renamed South Lamar Boulevard).
Late 1900s: Three major trends: 1) New freeways named by federal, state or city transportation entities (at times confusing, such as the doubly dubbed MoPac, named for the parallel Missouri Pacific railroad, but also known as Texas Loop 1); 2) new suburban streets named by developers after faraway, fanciful or imaginary people and places, or conversely, actual local geography; and 3) throughways, some later expanded, named after local politicians (Ben White Boulevard) or highway officials (Ed Bluestein Boulevard).
2000: The new Mueller redevelopment provided a singular opportunity to name a lot of new streets under the scrutiny of a public-private project. The plateau east of Interstate 35 had already been associated with several key historical events — the scalping of settler Josiah Wilbarger in 1833, the purchase of land by twice-enslaved Newton Isaac Collins in 1872, and the opening of the city’s first civilian airport there in 1930. It was named after City Council Member Robert Mueller (pronounced Miller), who died in office in 1927.

Austinites revved up efforts to move Mueller Municipal Airport, located a few miles from downtown, in 1984. A leading candidate for a replacement was land near Manor, which helps explain some of the industrial, commercial, office and hotel space built on speculation during this period near Interstate 35 and U.S. 290. The city, however, chose the federal offer of Bergstrom Air Force Base in Del Valle. It became Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, which opened in 1999.

At that point, what to do with the hundreds of acres that had been the main footprint of the Mueller Airport?

The city of Austin entered into a partnership with Catellus Development Corp. to create a neighborhood based on ideas associated with “new urbanism.” Those ideas included urban-like density, walkable streets, sensitive landscaping and a mix of resident incomes. Also clustered around the former airport were movie studios, a children’s hospital, a children’s museum and Rathgeber Village, home to several social service groups.

Meanwhile, a committee was convened to choose Mueller street names from the names of significant Austin figures, some of them not well known, especially to newcomers.

Here are just a few of those street names (I’ll return to the subject in future “From the Archives” columns):

Zach Scott Street: The movie and stage actor Zachary Scott (1914-1965), son of a prominent Austin family that included Dr. Zachary Scott (1880-1964), is perhaps best remembered for film roles in “Mildred Pierce” and “The Southerner.” He is the namesake for Zach Theatre, formerly known as Zachary Scott Theatre, the city’s largest resident theater company.
Barbara Jordan Boulevard: The former U.S. congresswoman’s early life and career are associated with Houston, but the fearless defender of the Constitution spent her later years in Austin as a professor at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs. Two large statues of Jordan (1936-1996) can be found in the city, one on the University of Texas campus, the other at Austin-Bergstrom.
Camacho Street: Lorraine Fuentes “Grandma” Castro Camacho (1917-1999) worked in food service for the Austin school district, but more than that, she was a volunteer and community organizer who took care of the youth in the Holly Street neighborhood for decades. Mother of beloved community historian Danny Camacho, she lent her name to the Lorraine “Grandma” Camacho Activity Center.
Taniguchi Street: A native of Japan, Isamu Taniguchi (1897-1992) immigrated to the U.S. as a teen. During World War II, he was forced into an internment camp at Crystal City, about 115 miles southwest of San Antonio, where he worked in the carpentry shop and maintained gardens. He retired to Austin in 1967, where his son and grandson became prominent architects and educators. In gratitude to the city, he almost single-handedly created the Isamu Taniguchi Japanese Garden at the Zilker Botanical Garden.
Scarbrough Street: Named after Lemuel Scarbrough (1889-1965), part of at least four generations of his family who turned a farmer-oriented general store into the city’s most glamorous and comprehensive department store. Like his relatives, Lemuel became a philanthropist and civic leader. The Scarbrough Building, including its art deco additions, still commands the southwest corner of Congress Avenue and Sixth Street.
Emma Long Street: While Austin city government was led by a club of white businessmen for more than a century, Emma Long (1912-2011), an American-Statesman reporter, broke that mold in 1948 by becoming the first woman elected to the City Council. Long was unusually progressive for her time and promoted many of the changes that redefined Austin during the 1950s and ’60s. She reactivated the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and is the namesake for Emma Long Metropolitan Park in Northwest Austin.

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Austin, TX

Texas Evening Briefing March 11

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3 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

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Good evening, Texas. We’re wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.

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Today’s Big Stories

1. Talarico plans to win over Black voters after winning primary tinged with racial tension

State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, claimed the Democratic nomination after defeating U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas. Talarico had strong support from Latinos in the primary, but he’s missing support from a key bloc of voters.

Their race was tinged with racial tension after a social media influencer alleged Talarico called former U.S. Senate candidate Colin Allred a “mediocre Black man.” Talarico’s response was that he was referring to Allred’s campaign. And Crockett called an attack ad that used a filter, which darkened her skin, racist. Talarico said he had no control over the ad, which came from a pro-Talarico PAC, which the campaign can’t legally coordinate with.

2. City of Pflugerville says ‘it’s going to be a while’ before Stage 3 water restrictions lift

The City of Pflugerville is working to repair its fourth waterline break since September as residents operate under Stage 3 emergency water restrictions until further notice.

In a City Council meeting Tuesday, city officials provided a timeline of breaks to the existing raw waterline, which is a 30-inch waterline that connects the Colorado River Pump Station up to Lake Pflugerville. The first happened in September and took 12 days to fix. The next came in November and took 17 days to repair, and the third came in January and also took 17 days to fix.

Officials identified a fourth break on Feb. 6 but didn’t actually locate it roughly 20 feet under a creek until Feb. 17. Work began on a 24-inch temporary bypass waterline on Feb. 10.

3. President Trump announces first new U.S. oil refinery in 50 years to open in Brownsville, Texas

President Donald Trump announced plans to build the first oil refinery in the United States in 50 years, and it will be in Brownsville, Texas, according to a Truth Social post.

Notes for Tomorrow

Thursday, March 12

PGA Tour golf continues
Court hearing for Lil Nas X charged with assaulting police during arrest
2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games continue, with three gold medals decided in a single sport
Billy Joel honored at Michael Dorf’s annual Music Of tribute concert
South by Southwest Festival and Conference kicks off in Austin

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts after scoring a 3-point goal during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

University of Texas with Kevin Durant partner with NIL, Nike for KD apparel

The University of Texas athletics, with former player Kevin Durant, announced an NIL partnership with Nike to allow specific student athletes to wear KD brand apparel.

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Austin, TX

Texas ban on selling smokable cannabis takes effect March 31

Published

12 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Texas ban on selling smokable cannabis takes effect March 31

Smokable cannabis products must be removed from Texas stores by the end of the month under new rules adopted by the state’s health department.

Virtually all edible hemp products will still be allowed with stricter packaging and testing requirements. But sharply higher fees on retailers and manufacturers, while lower than initially proposed, could lead to more expensive products or force some companies out of business.

The sweeping regulations for the state’s hemp industry were first recommended in December. They were created based on an executive order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott after the Texas Legislature couldn’t agree whether to regulate THC products more strictly or ban them entirely.

Last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services adopted its final version of the rules and said they would take effect March 31.

The new regulations effectively ban the sale of smokable hemp and extracts by changing how DSHS measures Delta-9 THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Michael Minasi

KUT News

Live resins and rosins extracted from cannabis, such as these sold at Austin’s ATX Organics, have become popular in part because they’re faster acting and easier to dose than edible hemp products.

Under the state’s 2019 hemp law, cannabis with no more than 0.3% Delta-9 by dry weight is considered legal hemp.

The adopted DSHS regulation includes a new “total THC” rule, which counts a cannabis compound known as THCA in the Delta-9 calculation. THCA converts to Delta-9 when heated or smoked, which is why a product known as THCA flower has become widely popular in Texas.

During the public comment period, hundreds of people told DSHS they oppose counting THCA as Delta-9. THCA is not explicitly banned by state or federal law.

In its response, DSHS said the “total THC” policy follows existing state and federal regulations, which are the rules written by government employees tasked with interpreting law.

The Texas Agriculture Commission adopted regulations in 2020 requiring that tests account for the potential conversion of THCA to Delta-9. The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed a similar rule on the last day of President Trump’s first term. The rule was adopted two months later by the Biden administration.

The state’s new hemp regulations slash a proposed 10,000% increase in the annual fees charged to retailers and manufacturers of what Texas calls “consumable hemp products.” But the adopted fees — $5,000 per year for each retail location and $10,000 per year for each manufacturing facility — are still 33 and 40 times higher, respectively, than existing levies.

More than 9,100 retail locations in Texas are registered to sell consumable hemp products, according to state health records.

Smoke ATX off of West Slaughter Lane pictured on Monday, July 21, 2025, in Austin. — Smoke ATX off of West Slaughter Lane is among 9,100 locations registered with the state to sell hemp products. The annual fee for hemp retailers will increase from $150 per location to $5,000 under the new rules adopted by DSHS.

Some retailers say the fees are still crippling, especially coupled with the new prohibition on smokable products.

“It’s a high rate, but it would still be feasible, but then we come into the [THCA] regulations,” said Estella Castro, owner of the hemp store Austin Cannabis Co. “If you don’t have the flower, and the flower is going off completely, I don’t think you’re going to have the $5,000.”

Castro said smokable products account for about 40% of her sales.

Cannabis advocates say they are glad to see new product recall standards and a process to track consumer complaints, but they believe high licensing fees and a ban on flowers and extracts will power up the unregulated market.

“We know that consumers will be able to still acquire these products either from out of state operators who are not restricted by DSHS regulations or from the illicit market, which causes the most concern for us,” said Heather Fazio, who leads the Texas Cannabis Policy Center. “The illicit market doesn’t have age restrictions. It doesn’t have safety mechanisms and consumer protection.”

The new DSHS rules only affect the manufacture, distribution and sale of hemp products. They don’t affect state law allowing for possession of them.

Mark Bordas, head of the Texas Hemp Business Council, compared the $10,000 fee annual on hemp manufacturing facilities to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s fee on distillers: $3,000 every two years.

“Our concern is some of these measures are so draconian that you are going to drive people out of the business and then folks’ access to the products,” Bordas said. “Invariably, we’re going to have to bring forth a [lawsuit], and the state has to defend what it’s done, and that’s taxpayer money, and it’s a waste.”

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Austin, TX

3 Top Texas Longhorn Recruiting Targets Were Blown Away By Their Visits to Austin

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

3 Top Texas Longhorn Recruiting Targets Were Blown Away By Their Visits to Austin

The Texas Longhorns continue to do everything they can to better their team for the future, including dominating on the recruiting trail with some of the most sought-after prospects in the country.

Their latest installment comes after extending offers to offensive lineman Ty McCurry and Jayden Thompson, while also leaving a favorable impression on premier recruit Brayson Robinson.

As they continue to make a push for another top-10 class under head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns made a staunch impression on three of their top targets for the 2028 cycle.

Forty Acres Stands Out

Texas Longhorns defensive back Kobe Black (6) and teammates react after making an interception during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Longhorns continue to make a push on the recruiting trail, hosting some premier targets on the first day of spring camp, and extending offers to McCurry and Thompson. Both players were impressed with what they saw, not just on the football field, either, but from the Forty Acres as well.

“They said I’m their top guy and that they want me back out for a visit soon. “McCurry tells me of his conversations with the Longhorns before continuing on where they stand in his rankings. “I’ve loved the past two times I’ve been in Austin to check out the Longhorns and can 100 percent see them being a contender in my commitment down the line.”

McCurry was a Sports Illustrated freshman All-American and currently stands at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, currently holding 11 offers with many of them coming from the Lone Star State. The other offer from the first day of practice went to Jayden Thompson, number 15-ranked offensive tackle in the 2028 class according to 247Sports.

“My conversations with the coaches went very well, they were all very inviting and helpful,” Thompson told Texas Longhorns On SI of the Longhorns staff. “If I had one takeaway, it would be the tour of not just the football part of the school, but the campus as well.”

Another target for the 2028 cycle is Brayson Robinson, an edge defender out of Mavel, Texas. While he didn’t receive an offer yet, he has quickly garnered interest with some of the top programs in the country. The Arizona State Sun Devils and Alabama Crimson Tide have been on him mainly, but he’s hearing from a lot of schools, including the Longhorns, who impressed him.

“It went amazing and I like how every coach introduced themselves to my family and me,” Robinson told Texas Longhorns On SI about his visit. “I also love the culture.”

With still a while to go until the 2028 cycle becomes the forefront on the recruiting trail, Sarkisian and his staff continue to set themselves up to be at the top of the conversations regarding the premier talent on their target board.

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