The city of Austin, Texas has much going for it - Nice location, seat of Government, hub of the University of Texas, thriving business centre, computer wizardry in the Silicon Hills, annual book fair, “can do” attitude and of course, the most hyperactive astronomy club in the US.
However, what always seemed to have been lacking was a sense of history.
San Francisco had one hell of an earthquake, New Orleans the flood, Washington was burned by the British - Atlanta apparently by everybody, but as even the most ardent citizens admit, nothing really exciting has happened in Austin since Judge Roy Bean stopped to water his horse on his way to a triple-hanging at Comanche Springs.
Still the city has always been outward looking and has established sister city relationships with such diverse cities as Adelaide in Australia, Koblenz in Germany, Edmonton in Canada and cities in Peru, Leotho, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Nigeria, South Korea and Turkey. Now at last it is to establish sister city relations with another go-ahead city in Texas - Fort Davis.
Not only does Fort Davis have a well preserved frontier fort, big court house, exciting outlaw history and Pop's Hamburgers, but it also hosts the world's most prestigious star party at the Prude Ranch, and, of course, the McDonald Observatory. So, instead of just hosting board meetings and administrative crud for the latter, Austin can get a real link to the cutting edge of science, big telescopes and all.
The other advantage for Austin is that it takes away some of the pain caused by the impending flow of the cream of the city's intellectual and cultural elite to Limpia Crossing, the garden suburb of Fort Davis, in that the sister city status will in an emotive way keep these fine folk “in the family” so to speak. Sort of.
Sir Rob Vanderson, resident Squire of Fort Davis has given the proposal his blessing.