Barton Springs
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Clear and icy, these springs over the years have drawn Indians, pioneers, and tourists to this spot. The waters are brought from the limestone strata to the surface by the Balcones Fault, which bisects Central Texas. Average flow is 27,000,000 gallons daily. During 1730-1731, Spanish friars located three missions here. Colorful settler William "Uncle Billy" Barton patented the land about 1837, naming two of the springs for his daughters Parthenia and Eliza. His two tame baby buffalos soon began to attract sightseers to his place, in spite of constant danger from Indian attacks. As the place gained in popularity, one astute Austin merchant installed a merry-go-round here and rented bathing suits to swimmers. In 1871 he and several others built ice-making machines at the springs. In addition, flour mills, sawmills, and a quarry appeared along the creek banks. About 1875 the riverboat "Sunbeam" ran excursions to Barton's at 50 cents a round trip. At one period a ferry was located here on a main road to Austin. Between 1901 and 1913 A. J. Zilker, leading merchant, bought this land and in 1918 and 1931 deeded it to the people of Austin for use as a park.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Fed by the Balcones Fault and gushing millions of gallons daily, Barton Springs drew people long before Austin existed — Native peoples, then Spanish friars who placed three missions here in 1730–31, then settler William "Uncle Billy" Barton, who patented the land around 1837 and named springs for his daughters. His tame buffalo calves lured sightseers even amid the danger of frontier raids, and over the decades bathhouses, mills, a merry-go-round, and excursion boats turned the spot into a playground. A.J. Zilker eventually deeded the land to Austin as the beloved public park it remains.
Why it matters
Barton Springs is a rare place where Indigenous, Spanish colonial, and Anglo settlement histories converge around a single life-giving water source at the heart of a modern city.
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Related people
- · William "Uncle Billy" Barton
- · A.J. Zilker
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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