The Alamo Hotel can be seen in this Vintage Austin photo from 1947. The 80-room hotel opened to the public in 1925 and sat at 6th and Guadalupe. You can catch a glimpse of the Alamo Hotel in the Clash’s music video for “Rock the Casbah” and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard’s video for “Pancho and Lefty.” The site will soon be home to Austin’s tallest tower yet, 6 X Guadalupe. Photo Credit: Austin History Center, ND-47-172-01 … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Dairy Princess
This Vintage Austin photo features the participants of the Dairy Princess contest of 1959. Since 1937, June has been designated as National Dairy Month because, according to the banner hanging behind the contestants June’s Best Meals Start with Dairy. … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: O. Henry House
The home of author William Sidney Porter is in this Vintage Austin photo being moved from its original location at 308 East 4th Street to its present-day location at 409 East 5th Street. The home was built in 1886 and Porter lived there with his wife and daughter between 1893 & 1895. In 1930, the home was going to be demolished but was saved by a committee of women who proposed that the city accept the home as a donation. The women restored the home and it opened as a museum in 1934. The O. Henry House is … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin – Space Shuttle Columbia
In 1981, on it’s way to Cape Canaveral to be prepared for its third orbital flight, the space shuttle Columbia made a refueling stop at Bergstrom Air Force Base, now Austin Bergstrom Airport. While it was here in Austin, base officials wanted to allow as many people to see the shuttle as possible, so they opened the gates to the base and allowed thousands of cars through to get a glimpse. Fun Fact: one of the few remaining buildings from the base is the Twelfth Air Force Headquarters building that is now the … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: I-35
What would you do for a traffic-less drive on I-35 like in this Vintage Austin photo from the 1960s? Looking north from Riverside Drive, if you look closely you can see the Capitol and the UT Tower standing taller than all the other buildings. Photo Credit: Austin History Center, PICA01315 … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: UT’s Main Building
This Vintage Austin from 1883 shows the west wing of UT’s original main building. Construction began in the fall of 1883 and finished in the summer of 1884. The second photo is from 1925 after the building was expanded. The building was built in three stages: the west wing was completed in 1883; the central section in 1891; and the east wing came last in 1899. By the 1930s, the University announced they’d demolish this building to make way for a new administration-library building, despite faculty, students, and … [Read more...]
Vintage Austin: Zilker Christmas Tree
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...]