Welcome to the University of Texas in the beautiful city of Austin! This tour will provide you with a student perspective of campus and some brief information about UT history and traditions. Your tour is brought to you by the Texas Orange Jackets, a women's service organization founded in 1923 with the tenets of scholarship, leadership and service.

The University of Texas officially opened in September of 1883. Our campus is often referred to as the "Forty Acres," named after the original forty acres the campus spanned. The campus has grown tremendously since then: it encompasses over 350 acres today.

One of our most famous traditions here at UT is the song, "The Eyes of Texas," our official alma mater written in 1903. Bevo, a Texas longhorn, has been the school's mascot since 1916 and represents the pride and tradition of the university. In 1955, head cheerleader Harley Clark Jr. introduced the "Hook 'em, Horns" hand sign that was thought up by Henry "HK" Pitts. The Hook 'Em sign is now recognized worldwide as the symbol of the Texas Longhorns.

Though our campus is now a sea of burnt orange and white, the decision to wear these colors was not a simple one. In 1885, a group of fans decided to show some school spirit by wearing matching colors to a UT baseball game. They rushed to the general store and bought same-colored ribbons. It just so happened that the only colors in stock were burnt orange and white. Over the next 82 years, the University tried various shades of orange before the Board of Regents officially declared burnt orange, which they deemed "Texas Orange," the official school color in June of 1967. Now, on game days, the famous "burnt orange" spreads throughout the entire city of Austin like water.

We hope you enjoy your tour today, and Hook 'em Horns!