This 1970s Vintage Austin photo of the Zilker Christmas Tree offers reassurance that not everything has changed in Austin over the last several decades. Beginning in 1967, the moonlight tower in Zilker Park has served as the main support for the tree. There are 39 strands of multicolored lights with a total of 3,309 lights. The two stars on top measures ten feet from point-to-point. The distinctive spiral design is credited to a group of City of Austin electricians. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: UT Women’s Basketball
Can you imagine trying to perfect your jump shot while wearing a blouse and bowtie? This photo highlights the University of Texas women’s basketball team. While women played intramural basketball in previous years, beginning in 1901, Eleanor Novell arranged for the team to play one off-campus opponent each year. This 1902 team, known as the “Town Girls,” was defeated by the “Varsity” team. The final score, a whopping 7-4. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Eliza Spring
This Vintage Austin photo includes a pair of ladies relaxing at Eliza Spring Pool. The amphitheater was built by Andrew Zilker as a meeting place for the Elks Club. The pool is no longer a swimming hole but instead serves as a safe habitat for the endangered Barton Springs & Austin Blind Salamanders. The public can visit the spring and the Beverly Sheffield Education Center to learn more about the spring and its aquatic life. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Bull Creek
Dated 1936, the falls of Bull Creek. The back of the photo reads, “The high falls near ‘Slanting Rock’ swimming hole in upper Bull Creek. This shows about half of the falls.” I assume the creek has morphed since the 1930s so I’m not sure which falls this photo is actually referencing as there are several along Bull Creek today. Head out for a hike and decide for yourself which falls you think are in this photo! … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Congress Bridge
The vantage point for this Vintage Austin photo is near the present-day Austin American Statesman building looking north. In the photo you can see a horse drawn carriage on the bridge (and they aren't waiting to see the bats fly!), the Capitol, and the frame of the Scarborough building, Austin’s first tower. Located at 6th & Congress it stood eight-stories tall and is still there today. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Seaholm Power Plant
Today, the Seaholm Power Plant serves as commercial space but during the 1950s it was the sole provider of electric power for Austin. As the city grew, Seaholm couldn’t keep up with the demand for electric power so other stations were built around town. In 1989, Seaholm no longer provided power and in 1996 closed entirely. In the distance of this Vintage Austin photo you can see the UT Tower. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Deep Eddy Pool
This Vintage Austin photo is of Deep Eddy Swimming Pool. Deep Eddy began as a natural swimming hole in the Colorado River and was expanded into a man-made pool in 1915 by A.J. Eilers. At that time, it was a portion of the Deep Eddy Bathing Beach resort and played host to a number of attractions including a diving horse and a diving baby. Deep Eddy is filled with fresh water (no chlorine!), is the oldest swimming pool in Texas, and is on the national register of historic places. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Downtown From Above
This Vintage Austin photo from January 1963 is a great shot of downtown Austin from above. In it you can see several recognizable landmarks. Included are the Capitol, the UT Tower, Texas Memorial Stadium, a little bit of the Congress Avenue bridge, and the start of construction for the Crest Inn (also seen in a previous Vintage Austin post). It was completed in 1965 and located on the south east corner of Congress and Caesar Chavez. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Construction of the UT Tower
Constructed of the tower at the University of Texas began in 1934 and was completed in 1937. The tower of the Main Building at the University is a well-known landmark. The main building was originally the central library while the 27-story tower housed the book stacks. If you wanted to make a selection, you’d first search the mammoth card catalog, then relay your choice to the front desk, and finally wait. Waiting on the roller skate clad Tower Librarians, at their busiest, could take more than an hour and a … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: The Zilker Zephyr
This Vintage Austin photo features the Zilker Zephyr with the Capitol and a modest downtown skyline as its backdrop. The Zephyr has been hauling kids and adults around Zilker Park for decades. The 20-25 minute journey takes riders on a tour of the park to see Lady Bird Lake and Barton Creek. You can still take a ride on the Zephyr seven days a week, weather permitting, between 10am and 5pm. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Kids Biking Along Lady Bird Lake
This Vintage Austin photo, from the 1970s, includes kids enjoying the bike path along the south side of Lady Bird Lake, near present day Auditorium Shores. In the distance you can see the Crest Inn, built in 1965 and located on the corner of Congress Ave & Caesar Chavez. The Crest Inn building is still there, it operated as the Radisson for many years and is now the LINE Hotel. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Downtown Spectacle
Imagine our lovely city without ACL, without South by Southwest, without the Trail of Lights. What in the world would we do for entertainment? Well, in 1867, Austinites gathered in the street to watch a tight rope walker traverse Congress Avenue. The caption on this vintage Austin photo states this is at 8th and Congress, where the performer began his journey from the Avenue Hotel. Those with a keen eye may notice that the building in the distance is not the current Capitol building, but the one that was built … [Read more...]