Austin | Historic Images & Postcards - Page 52

The ATX · #1 Posted **Apr 12, 2020, 8:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul78701

People are usually nostalgic for their most formidable years (teens, 20s). They typically hold fond memories of those times and look upon them with rose colored glasses. It's human nature.

Exactly. Depending on the age of the person, I hear the same thing about the 70s, 80s and even 90s. Then there are running jokes about recent transplants pining for Austin's good 'ol days of last Summer.

jg6544 · #2 Posted **Apr 12, 2020, 8:57 PM**

The Austin I remember was a charming, university and political town. There was plenty to do. Plenty of room for walking or bicycle riding in the University neighborhood, too. There was a lot to be said for nothing being more than a 20-minute drive from anything else. I haven't been to Austin since 1985, but from what I see in pictures, it is crass, sterile, and just another clone of Houston or Dallas.

the Genral · #3 Posted **Apr 12, 2020, 11:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The ATX

Exactly. Depending on the age of the person, I hear the same thing about the 70s, 80s and even 90s. Then there are running jokes about recent transplants pining for Austin's good 'ol days of last Summer.

And then there's people like me, who dug Austin in the 80s, 90s, 2000, 2010s, and now 2020. There were fun and different things in each of those decades. I am privileged to have witnessed all Austin had to offer since 1981. If you haven't, you all should watch Outlaw Blues with Peter Fonda. It will give you a taste of 80s Austin. I can't be the only one who has gotten something out of of each decade and then moved on without being overly nostalgic. Personally, I think Austin is like a fine wine that gets better with age. I love the spectacular evolution of Austin and where its headed, and would be bored to tears if things just stayed the same. And I wouldn't be on this forum if my desire wasn't for cramming in as many tall and shiny buildings that can fit within the downtown boundaries. There are still a bunch of gems around Austin, they're just a little more hidden. And I really don't give a shit about the traffic congestion and little inconveniences that come with being in the 11th largest city in the US. If I did, I would move to Monowi, Nebraska. Look it up.

Regarding the poster's comment above; " it is (Austin) crass, sterile, and just another clone of Houston or Dallas"...I couldn't disagree more, and I'll just leave it at that. You see ATX, I have changed!!

mostly_afk · #4 Posted **Apr 12, 2020, 5:06 AM**

just finished the "killers of the flower moon." I didn't expect connections to Austin, but there was. The FBI agent in charge was Tom White, son of Emmett White. Emmett White was Travis County Sheriff, who was also in charge of the jail. The jail was described as a fortress. Emmett White and his family lived in a house next to the jail. There was quite a bit written about Tom White's time in Austin. I was most curious about the jail that looked like a fortress, so I looked through the old photos at the Austin History Center and found a photo. The jail and adjoining home are on the bottom left of the photo. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out to post the photo.

mostly_afk · #5 Posted **Apr 12, 2020, 5:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mostly_afk

just finished the "killers of the flower moon." I didn't expect connections to Austin, but there was. The FBI agent in charge was Tom White, son of Emmett White. Emmett White was Travis County Sheriff, who was also in charge of the jail. The jail was described as a fortress. Emmett White and his family lived in a house next to the jail. There was quite a bit written about Tom White's time in Austin. I was most curious about the jail that looked like a fortress, so I looked through the old photos at the Austin History Center and found a photo. The jail and adjoining home are on the bottom left of the photo. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out to post the photo.

Here's the photo.

Wheelock, Charles B. [View of Southest Austin], photograph, [1889, 1894]; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth124493/: accessed April 12, 2020), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.

[IMG]

[View of Southest Austin] hosted by The Portal to Texas History[/IMG]

Armybrat · #6 Posted **Apr 12, 2020, 2:27 PM**

Austin was not boring for a teenager in the late ‘50s & early ‘60s.
Plenty of places to go - cruising the Pig Stand & Holiday House, girls to date (& secluded places nearby to go parking), drive-in movies, school sock hops, easy to get beer, uncrowded Barton Springs & Campbell’s Hole, packed stadiums for Friday Night football & other well-attended school sports events , rollerskate arenas ( including the former National Guard Armory that eventually became the Armadillo World Headquarters), and easy access to uncrowded lake recreation - especially if you or a friend had a Glastron ski boat.

Good times for most of us.
But for East Austinites, obviously not so much in the era of segregation- what with those disgusting whites/colored only signs in public facilities everywhere.

KevinFromTexas · #7 Posted **Apr 13, 2020, 11:40 AM**

Yeah, count me in as loving Austin no matter what decade you're talking about. It's why I love finding all these photos of the past. It's a part of Austin I didn't get to see, so naturally, I'm curious about it.

Anyway, yeah, that's East Avenue. I think the photo was likely taken from the bluff near the dog park on Riverside just about where the bridge is now.

That little cove in the river at the foot of East Avenue is still there.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Au...!4d-97.7430608

the Genral · #8 Posted **Apr 13, 2020, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Yeah, count me in as loving Austin no matter what decade you're talking about. It's why I love finding all these photos of the past. It's a part of Austin I didn't get to see, so naturally, I'm curious about it.

Anyway, yeah, that's East Avenue. I think the photo was likely taken from the bluff near the dog park on Riverside just about where the bridge is now.

That little cove in the river at the foot of East Avenue is still there.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Au...!4d-97.7430608

I really appreciate this thread. I took a ton of videos on VHS format that are pretty much useless now, and not too many actual photos, so this is a good place for reminiscing. I know somewhere in my house, I have tapes of the raft races, Bergstrom air shows, presidential motorcades, first building boom construction of the 80s, the statue removal and reinstallation on the Capitol Bldg, yeah I taped both of those events, I even have a bunch of footage of my drives up and down I35 through downtown throughout the 80s and early 90s showing all the progress. Someday I hope to find those missing tapes and make use of them again.

jg6544 · #9 Posted **Apr 26, 2020, 9:58 PM**

1964 sounds about right. I took that same view from the top of the Tower the summer I left (1965) and by that time, the apartment building next to the old Kappa Sig house was under construction.

jg6544 · #10 Posted **Apr 28, 2020, 4:52 PM**

I don't know when it all began, but the ostensible reason was that there was always a Texas Independence Day ceremony in front of the Tower that involved firing an artillery salute in the general direction of the Kappa Sig house, so one year, the guys decided to fire back. They probably were hung over, since they usually were.

Mopacs · #11 Posted **Apr 13, 2020, 9:32 PM**

Found on a Facebook group. Club Foot, E 4th St, 1981-ish.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/670563642983299

ahealy · #12 Posted **Apr 14, 2020, 2:37 PM**

omg. I have a Club Foot shirt on my wall lolll (my dad's). This is great!

urbancore · #13 Posted **Apr 14, 2020, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Found on a Facebook group. Club Foot, E 4th St, 1981-ish.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/670563642983299

Is that the old Ruta Maya/Saba corner?

edit: prolly not given where the buildings are in the background.

The ATX · #14 Posted **Apr 14, 2020, 4:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbancore

Is that the old Ruta Maya/Saba corner?

edit: prolly not given where the buildings are in the background.

That's 4th & Brazos - Brazos Hall.

KevinFromTexas · #15 Posted **Apr 25, 2020, 9:45 PM**

The view from the UT Tower. The date listed with it says 1954, but I think it's a bit later than that because I can see the Sam Houston Building northeast of the Capitol, and it was built in 1959. It also looks like they were doing site prep for the Cambridge Tower at 18th & Lavaca, which was finished in 1965. I also see the Tom C. Clark Building and it was finished in 1960. And you can see the edge of the Penthouse Condominiums, which was finished in 1964. So, I think this is as late as 1964. Missing from the photo is the Westgate Tower, which was finished in 1967. The Holiday Inn Capitol Tower is also missing, and it was finished in 1967. It would have been in the upper left where you can see the I-35 S-curve.

https://twitter.com/JimNicar/status/...170306/photo/1