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If there is a single moment when Austin declared itself the capital of Texas—not with paperwork, but with firepower—it was the morning Angelina Eberly lit a fuse and changed history. With the 2026 Angelina Eberly Luncheon Fundraiser approaching on February 26, this is the perfect moment to revisit the dramatic true story behind the woman who stopped Sam Houston’s covert plot and cemented Austin’s future, a tale documented in depth by the Texas State Historical Association.
Most of the sources linked in this piece—TSHA, TSLAC, and Smithsonian—are archival or scholarly, making this a great jumping‑off point if you want to dive deeper into primary documents about the Archives War.
INSIDE THE STORY: HOW ONE CANNON BLAST SAVED A CAPITAL
In December 1842, President Sam Houston attempted to quietly remove the Republic of Texas archives from Austin and relocate them to his namesake city, a move later chronicled by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Had the plan succeeded, Austin likely would have lost its status as capital.
Standing in the way? An innkeeper—Angelina Eberly—who spotted the operation unfolding from the General Land Office building and took immediate action. She fired a six‑pound cannon directly into Congress Avenue to alert residents, an explosive moment retold in CultureMap Austin’s deep‑dive on the “rebellious woman who saved Austin”. Her blast triggered a chase toward Brushy Creek, where Houston’s men ultimately surrendered the documents without bloodshed, a pursuit that today is commemorated in the City of Round Rock’s history of the Archives War.
"Eberly’s cannon shot down Congress Avenue turned a secret removal of records into a full‑blown public crisis—alerting Austin residents and setting off the chase that would keep the archives, and the capital, in Austin.
Her intervention is known today as the Archives War, and it kept Austin the capital of Texas, a pivotal episode also explored by Smithsonian Magazine’s account of the Texas Archives War of 1842.
WHY THE STORY MATTERS IN 2026
The annual luncheon is designed to support ongoing preservation efforts surrounding Austin’s early history and the people—often overlooked—who shaped it. Eberly is one of those figures: a woman whose decisive act influenced the entire trajectory of the city and exemplifies the pioneering spirit highlighted by the Texas Historical Commission’s profile of Angelina Peyton Eberly.
If you’re interested in attending the 2026 Angelina Eberly Luncheon, keep an eye on local history and preservation groups’ calendars—popular downtown fundraisers like this can reach capacity quickly once ticket links go live.
This year’s fundraiser is also particularly timely, aligning with a wave of renewed interest in Austin’s lesser‑known origin stories, similar to explorations of the city’s cultural sites and historic landmarks.
INSIDER INTELLIGENCE: HOW TO EXPLORE EBERLY’S LEGACY TODAY
Angelina Eberly Statue
FreeEven without full event logistics, you can experience key points of Eberly’s story across Austin.
• Visit the Angelina Eberly statue on Congress Avenue, a bronze memorial depicting her mid‑fuse‑lighting and frequently highlighted in local history coverage of East Austin’s culture and gathering spots.
• Walk past the historic General Land Office site, where the attempted archive removal took place, then pair it with a stop at another emblematic civic space featured in our Insider Guide to Pease District Park’s hidden history.
• Trace the path of the Archives War northward toward modern‑day Round Rock, where the fleeing Rangers were intercepted, following the interpretive context in the City of Round Rock’s Archives War collection.
For the best photos at the Angelina Eberly statue, aim for early morning or golden hour: traffic on Congress is lighter, the lighting is softer, and you’ll have more room to read the plaque and take in the scene.
Downtown parking near Congress Avenue can be tight and pricey, especially during SXSW, weekend nights, and major Capitol events. Consider transit, rideshare, or garages a few blocks off Congress to avoid circling for a spot.
These stops provide a grounded sense of the geography behind the tale, revealing just how close Austin once came to losing its position as the capital—and they pair naturally with broader city explorations, like planning an SXSW 2026 visit around Austin’s historic core.
INTERNAL LINKS TO RELATED AUSTIN HISTORY & CULTURE COVERAGE
For readers interested in deeper historical and cultural context, explore:
• Inside Pease District Park’s Hidden History: The Insider Guide to Governor Pease, Woodlawn Homestead, and the Enslaved Community Who Built It
• Inside Black History Month Kid’s Day 2026: The Insider Guide to Austin’s Free Hands‑On Family Celebration at the Carver Museum
• Inside Strangelove Coffee & Wine: The Insider Guide to East Austin’s Hidden Hybrid Art‑Café‑Wine Bar
• Inside SXSW Austin 2026: The Insider Guide to Beating Crowds, Scoring Freebies, and Navigating the City Like a Local
PRIMARY SOURCE LINKS
For verified historical reference, see:
• Texas State Historical Association – Angelina Belle Peyton Eberly
• Texas State Library and Archives Commission – The Archives War
• Austin Public Library History Resources
If you want to see original documents tied to this story, start with TSLAC’s Archives War collection online, then use Austin Public Library’s history resources or in‑person research appointments for deeper dives.
The Archives War remains one of the most dramatic political moments in Texas history—an example of local residents, led by a decisive woman, standing up to preserve their city’s identity. As the 2026 luncheon approaches, Austin has an opportunity to honor that legacy and the explosive courage that shaped the city we know today, while using trusted sources like Smithsonian’s history of the Texas Archives War to keep the story alive for new generations.
Related Austin Data
Inside Angelina Eberly and the Texas Archives War: The Insider Guide to Austin’s Most Explosive Origin Story
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