• Austin Texas Holiday Ornament, Moonlight Tower, Crystal Glass Ornament Hanging on a Christmas Tree
  • Austin Texas Holiday Ornament, Moonlight Tower, Crystal Glass Ornament Hanging on White
  • Austin Texas Holiday Ornament, Moonlight Tower, Crystal Glass Ornament in Gold Gift Box
  • Austin Texas Holiday Ornament, Moonlight Tower, Crystal Glass Ornament in White Gift Box
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Austin Texas Holiday Ornament - Moonlight Tower

Austin Texas Holiday Ornament - Moonlight Tower

$28.00 USD
$28.00 USD
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An 1890s iron moonlight tower strung from crown to ground with lights, the way Austin dresses one every December. Locals know the spin under the tree; everyone else just wants the tower.

In 1894 and 1895 the city bought 31 towers, each 165 feet of iron lattice topped with carbon-arc lamps meant to light whole neighborhoods like moonlight. Seventeen still stand, the only working set left anywhere. Since 1967 the one in Zilker Park has been strung with thousands of lights every December into a 155-foot cone that the whole city calls the Zilker Tree.

The towers were the future once; a city lit from above instead of lamp by lamp. Austin kept them when everyone else tore theirs down, and the city still repairs them with original parts where it can.

The holiday turn is the part everyone remembers: you stand under the tree, look straight up, and spin until the lights blur into rings. Kids do it, grandparents do it, and the ornament puts the whole ritual on a 3-inch piece of glass.

Austin's moonlight towers are the last working set in the world, and every December the one in Zilker Park becomes the Zilker holiday tree, the center of Christmas in Austin and the Trail of Lights. This Austin ornament puts a moonlight tower on the glass, the Austin souvenir for people who know the city's history better than its skyline.

Every Austin ornament ships ready to give. Hang it on the tree, in a window, off a lamp, or send one to the person who misses Austin most.

3-inch faceted crystal glass ornament, white-backed print, line-drawn in 1880s engraving style, your choice of white or gold gift box.


QUICK FACTS — AUSTIN TX CRYSTAL ORNAMENT — MOONLIGHT TOWER

Town: Austin, Texas

Founded: 1839

Known for: Capital of Texas since 1839; the 1888 Texas State Capitol; the Colorado River and Barton Springs; the Hill Country

Art: Moonlight Tower, original Merlin Classics engraving

Blank: 3-inch (76 mm) round clear crystal glass ornament, faceted gem-cut edge

Print: white-backed for contrast; red ribbon hanger

Packaging: white or gold gift box, chosen at checkout

Made to order in the USA



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Wear Local. Feed Local. Stay Classic.

Product FAQs

How does your sizing work?

Every item is made to order, so please check the size chart on this page before you buy. Women's fitted tees run small; size up for a looser fit. Caps are one size with an adjustable strap.

How are items made and when will they arrive?

We make each item to order using premium blanks, embroidery and soft-hand prints. Production takes 2-5 business days (weekends and holidays excluded), then 4-10 days in transit via USPS, UPS or FedEx to U.S. addresses; most orders arrive within 6-15 business days. You'll get a tracking link the moment it ships. Any current shipping offer is shown in the bar at the top of every page and applies automatically at checkout, no code needed.

How do I send a gift?

Enter the recipient's address as the shipping address and your own as the billing address at checkout. Nothing ships with a price; the package includes a plain packing slip. Tracking goes to your email, not theirs. For birthdays and holidays, order two weeks ahead to be safe.

What's the return policy?

Made-to-order items can't be returned or exchanged for size or color, so please use the size chart and photos before ordering. If anything arrives defective, misprinted or damaged, send a photo and your order number within 30 days and we'll replace it or refund you.

How do I care for my item?

Apparel: wash cold, inside out, with like colors; no bleach; tumble dry low or hang dry. Embroidered pieces: iron inside out to protect the stitching. Caps: spot clean. Printed glasses and water bottles: hand wash only, no dishwasher, so the artwork lasts. Mugs and engraved glasses are dishwasher safe. Any item-specific care notes are in the description above.

Who makes this?

Merlin Classics is a small Connecticut brand making original retro designs for the towns people love. Every piece is printed, embroidered or engraved to order in the USA, and the business supports hunger relief in the communities our collections celebrate.

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Today Austin is the capital of Texas and a Hill Country city of springs, lakes, and live music — a frontier capital grown into a creative metropolis without losing the river that runs through it. Our Austin designs gather that identity — the Capitol dome, the Hill Country and Barton Springs, the live-music heritage, and the violet-crown light — into wearable form. Austin, Texas — capital of the Lone Star State, where the Colorado River winds through the Hill Country.

Our Austin logo carries the Texas longhorn and the Lone Star over "Texas Republic · Est. 1845" — 1845 the year Texas joined the Union as the Lone Star State. The longhorn's sweeping horns stand for Texas frontier grit, and the single star for the independence that gave the Lone Star State its name. Printed in a distressed black-and-white that reads like old stockyard and state-fair signage, it's the Lone Star in shorthand. What makes this one Austin is the country behind it — the capital on the Colorado, the Hill Country springs, and the city of the violet crown.

Why People Visit Austin

Austin balances Texas-capital history with easygoing Hill Country life — spring-fed swimming, river trails, big landmarks, and a deep live-music heritage. It's a relaxed, walkable base for Central Texas and the Hill Country.

Austin Texas Merlin Classics retro vintage logo featuring the Texas longhorn and Lone Star over Texas Republic Est. 1845