Austin Growth History
The Railroad Changed Austin's Economy in the 1870s
The Houston and Texas Central Railway reached Austin in 1871 and doubled the city's population within five years.
Before the railroad came in 1871, Austin was a small capital city with few trade connections. The Houston and Texas Central Railway changed that fast. The city's population roughly doubled within five years. Austin became a regional trading hub.
More rail lines arrived between 1871 and 1904. But some of those new lines also pulled trade away from Austin, which slowed growth for a bit. By the 1880s, city leaders were pushing for hydroelectric power. They wanted dams built on the Colorado River. That push laid the groundwork for the power and water systems that shaped the modern city.
Source to confirm: TSHA Handbook – Austin, TX (Travis County)