ATXplained

They’re all over town: printed or painted signs in someone’s yard, telling drivers not to park in front of a house. But do they mean anything? The post Is It Legal To Post Homemade ‘No Parking’ Signs In Front Of Your House? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There’s a bunch of island cities in South Austin. How did it get that way? The post Why Aren’t West Lake Hills, Sunset Valley And Rollingwood Part Of Austin? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There’s no First Street where you’d think it would be. But there is one where you wouldn’t think. The post What Happened to First Street? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

You’re standing in a mattress store. Right across the street are two more mattress stores. The post Why Are There So Many Mattress Stores In Austin? 🛏 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Everyone knows you go to Hippie Hollow to skinny dip. But how did it get that way? The post Why Is Hippie Hollow Clothing-Optional? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

When you’re driving down Lamar Boulevard between Lady Bird Lake and Fifth Street, do you ever look at the walls of the underpass beneath the train bridge? Do you look at those blank blue signs on the walls of the underpass and wonder: What the heck are those things? The post What The Heck Are Those Blue Panels Along The Lamar Underpass? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

You’ve probably seen them while driving around town –- those handwritten signs next to the road with messages like: “We buy houses for cash! Call now!” What are they about, and why? The post What’s Up With Those Handmade ‘We Buy Houses’ Signs Around Austin? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

In 1881, the first Texas Capitol building burned to the ground, and leaders set about building a new one. They wanted to use local materials, including limestone from a quarry in Oatmanville – the area now known as Oak Hill – so they built a 6-mile railroad line from Oatmanville to the Capitol site. Then […] The post Were There Convicts On Convict Hill? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The glorified parking lot known, at least officially, as Loop 1 has given many a driver plenty of time to ponder its quirks while stuck in traffic. The post The History, Mystery and Misery of MoPac appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Every year they invade Austin in loud swarms – eating, drinking, mating. No, it’s not the throngs of ACL or South by Southwest. We’re talking about the crickets. The post Why Are There So Many Crickets Around Austin This Time of Year? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin residents are no strangers to orange cones dotting the highways or construction cranes in the sky. But one KUT listener wondered: Why does it take so long to get anything built around here? The post Why Does It Take So Long to Get Anything Built in Austin? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Regardless of what you think of Austin calling itself the “Live Music Capital of the World,” you’ve got to admit it is pretty effective branding. Even people who don’t like music, and who’ve never been here, equate the city with a vibrant scene. The post 🎼How Did Austin Become the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’? 🎶 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin’s love affair with Hatch chile peppers comes and goes every August. Did you ever wonder why grocery stores get so excited about Hatch? The post Why Are Grocery Stores So Hot for Hatch Chile Peppers? 🌶 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

“Keep Austin Weird.” The phrase is printed on T-shirts, bumper stickers, posters; it’s part of Austin’s national reputation. But, it seems that for every pocket of weird, there’s a new corporate chain from California moving in. The post Is Austin Still Keeping It Weird? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Many people think of recycling as somehow both mundane and mysterious. So, we followed a 12-ounce can of Coke. The post What Happens To Austin’s Recycling? ♻️ appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

They’re annoying. They’re mean. They’re filthy. But we love to hate them. The post Everything You Wanted To Know About Grackles appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

You’ve probably seen this memorial if you’ve ever driven on Lamar Blvd in Austin. It’s right there, on the pillar holding up the train bridge where Third Street crosses Lamar. It says: “Fair Sailing Tall Boy. Ivan Garth Johnson. Not forgotten. 1971 – 1989. Don’t Drink and Drive, You Might Kill Someone’s Kid.” The post What’s the Story Behind the ‘Fair Sailing Tall Boy’ Memorial? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Imagine you’re cruising in a sea of green. The post Why Aren’t Austin’s Stoplights Synchronized? Actually, They Are. 😕 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

In the first episode of our ATXplained podcast, we explore the factors behind Austin’s declining African-American population. The post Why Is Austin’s African-American Population Declining? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.