Oak Hill

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. This is the story of Oak Hill, out in Travis County. Now, a place doesn't get four different names without having some history worth talking about.

First settlers pushed into this area in the 1840s, and by 1856 somebody had gotten around to giving the community a proper name. They called it Live Oak Springs. Fine name.

Had a ring to it. Then 1865 rolls around and, just like that, it's Shiloh. After that, the schools took a turn at the wheel.

A school known as Live Oak lent its name to the settlement for a spell, and then a school called Oatmanville did the same. Four names in, people were probably getting a little weary of repainting signs. But 1900 came along, and the name Oak Hill settled in, and it has held ever since.

Now here is the part of the story that really opens up. In 1882, limestone quarries were opened in the area, and the reason why matters. The capitol building in Austin needed stone.

Oak Hill had stone. And not just a wagon-load here and there. By 1886, ten carloads of stone were being shipped out every single day, rolling over a railroad that ran straight from those quarries to the capitol grounds.

Ten carloads. Daily. The marker puts it plainly: it is estimated that one third of the capitol's walls are lined with limestone from Oak Hill quarries.

One third of that great dome-topped building standing in Austin today. So when you drive past Oak Hill and think it's just another community along the road, you remember this. Part of that name changed four times, part of that ground that took decades to settle on what to call itself, is literally holding up the Texas State Capitol.

This marker was sponsored by the Oak Hill-Cedar Valley Pioneer Association, and they had every right to be proud.

What the marker says

First settlers arrived in area in 1840s. The community founded here in 1856 was called Live Oak Springs; in 1865 it was renamed Shiloh. Later schools known as Live Oak and Oatmanville Gave names temporarily to the settlement. It has been known as Oak Hill since 1900. Limestone quarries were opened, 1882, to supply stone for capitol building in Austin. By 1886, ten carloads of stone were shipped daily over railroad which joined quarries with capitol grounds. It is estimated that one-third of capitol's walls are line with limestone from Oak Hill quarries. Incise on base: Sponsored by Oakhill-Cedar Valley Pioneer Association