Question: What Texas businessman was the last private owner of Barton Springs in Austin?
Answer: Andrew Jackson Zilker
Born in Indiana in 1858, he moved to Austin at age 18, working as a dishwasher, construction worker, and icemaker. After acquiring his own ice manufacturing plant, he began buying land between the Colorado River and Barton Creek, using water from Barton Springs to supply it.
In 1917, as president of the Travis County School Board, he entered into an agreement to transfer Barton Springs and the surrounding land to the school district. The 350-acre tract was eventually developed into Zilker Metropolitan Park, which hosts an annual kite festival and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
