You probably haven’t heard of Angelina Eberly, the 18th-century innkeeper who sealed Austin’s fate as the capital of Texas. She made her mark on state history when she alerted city residents to the presence of rangers, sent by President Sam Houston, who were removing federal documents from the city. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Pat Oliphant has created a dramatic vision of the buxom Eberly with her gown flowing in the night air as she fires the city cannon, igniting the Archive War that led to the documents’ safe return. Capital Area Statues, the group responsible for Barton Springs’ Philosophers’ Rock, is dedicated to beautifying Austin’s nooks and crannies with tidbits of Austin lore, ever vigilant so that we don’t forget the personalities that made our city great. Look for this stunning statue to appear at the corner of Sixth and Congress this spring.
