The 2022 Texas Capitol Ornament
"Willkommen zum Saengerfest" is German for "Welcome to Songfest." In April 1889, a temporary illuminated arch with evergreen garland was placed on Congress Avenue with this inscription welcoming travelers and locals alike to one of Austin’s first music festivals. More than 130 years later these roots run deep and Austin is the "Live Music Capital of the World," with some of the world’s largest music festivals and more live venues per capita than anywhere else in the United States. The 2022 ornament pays homage to this rich and varied musical tradition. The ornament features the Saengerfest arch with evergreen garlands in front of the south façade of the majestic Renaissance Revival Capitol.
German settlers in Austin assembled an official singing association in 1879 named "Austin Saengerrunde." The temporary arch in 1889 welcomed Texas singers to a songfest that featured German-Texas Choirs. These events were very big in Austin with many visitors arriving to celebrate the German culture as reflected in music, food and beer. The Austin Weekly Statesman from Thursday, April 25, 1889, proclaimed a week of festivities that included a "Grand Torchlight Procession" under the arch and a "Brilliant Pyrotechnical Display from the Capitol Grounds." The tradition of songfest continues to this day.
Texas was settled by people of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds: Europeans from Germany, Poland, Sweden, England, Ireland and France came to Texas seeking economic possibilities and freedoms not present in their native countries. Upon arrival in the 1830s and 1840s, they met Tejanos (native Texans and descendants of the earliest Spanish settlers and the first Mexican pioneers), Anglo-Americans and others who moved to Texas from the neighboring United States. They sought the offer of land and the opportunity to seek better lives. These diverse individuals all brought with them their unique heritage and cultural traditions which have grown into the vibrant and varied music scene now present in the state capital.
Sales from this exclusive ornament, the 27th in the series, support the ongoing preservation and interpretation of the Texas Capitol for over one million visitors annually. Collect this commemorative piece of Texas history and help the Statehouse maintain its beauty for generations to come.
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