It is hard to imagine Sixth Street as anything other than the bar-lined street which has attracted bar-hopping young people for decades. But Pecan Street, as it was originally named, got its start in the 1800s as the main thoroughfare into town for farmers and others going into the city for reasons of commerce. By the 1860s, it had its first saloon, along with livery stables and wagon yards.
The city was originally designed on a single square mile grid of 14 blocks, with Congress Avenue running through the middle. All the original north/south running streets were named for Texas rivers, like Brazos and Rio Grande. The east/west running streets were originally named after Texas trees (i.e. pecan), but were changed to numbers in 1884. Much of the original street design is still intact in downtown Austin.
It was the arrival of the railroad to Austin in 1871 that brought the heart of this booming town right to Sixth Street. Soon Victorian limestone buildings proliferated down the tree-lined street, most notably the Driskill Hotel. This luxurious hotel, complete with marble floors and stained-glass dome, was built in 1886.
The seven blocks between I-35 and Congress became known as Austin's entertainment district. The street was changed to a one-way and revitalized in the mid-1970s. Music was at the heart of this rebirth, largely thanks to artists like Willie Nelson who brought national attention to the Austin music scene.
"Today, Austin is known as much for its cultural life and high-tech innovations as it is for the senators and schoolteachers who shaped its beginnings. The same success that has gained the city a national reputation has brought with it many difficult choices, as the city expands on a scale that might shock the early residents of Waterloo," said Biruta Celmins Kearl, Curator Emerita of the Austin History Center.
There are bar-lined streets in cities all across America, but there is something unique about Sixth Street, something quintessentially Austin. Maybe it's the music that spills out into the street from nearly every doorway. Maybe it's the eclectic collection of businesses, like tattoo parlors, to entertainment like Esther's Follies. This combination of improv and satire has been enthralling audiences since 1977.
But it's not just the nightlife that attracts people to Sixth Street. Places like Paradise Bar and Grill have brought in lunch crowds for decades and Dan McKlusky's is a favorite dinner spot for steak lovers. The Pecan Street Festival, celebrating Austin arts and crafts, brings thousands to Sixth Street every year.
Other well-known events that bring thousands flocking to this famous stretch of street are Halloween and Austin Mardi Gras, for which the street is blocked off from traffic to allow revelers to roam freely. Perhaps the best known Sixth Street event is South by Southwest. SXSW is Austin's film and music extravaganza that takes place each March.
Even fire can't slow down this stalwart street full of history, music and fun. On February 6, four businesses were damaged by fire in the early morning hours. The damaged caused by a cigarette tossed under some stairs is estimated at more than $1 million. However, crews were quickly put to work repairing the fire and smoke damage and life on this iconic stretch of street will go on as it has for over 100 years.
Ki lives in Central Austin. His website has information on Austin Texas real estate. His website lets people search the Austin MLS it also has a blog with statistical information on Austin real estate.
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