Texas Capitol  







    A description of the Texas Capitol Building  

  • An old postcard distributed by the Austin, Texas Chamber of Commerce.
  • The card is not dated but is believed to be approximately 70 years old.






    Austin, Texas  "The Friendly City"

  • This photograph was taken "from tip-top of Capitol" in February, 1921.
  • Looking south, across 11th Street and down Congress Avenue.



    Austin, Texas   1929
  • This photograph was taken in approximately 1929 from the Texas Capitol building looking south.
  • Looking south, across 11th Street and down Congress Avenue. Notice the incomplete Norwood Building on the west side of Congress on 7th and Colorado.
  • The Norwood Building was completed in 1929 and was the first office building in Austin to have air conditioning. Still standing today and still a beautiful building.



    Austin, Texas   1945
  • This photograph was taken in 1945.
  • Looking north at downtown Austin from south of the Colorado River bridge on South Congress.
  • The white building on the east side of the street is Tower Bowling Alley.



    Austin, Texas   1946
  • This photograph was taken in 1946.
  • On Congress Avenue looking north at the Texas Capitol.
  • Decorated for Christmas with multi-colored lights strung across Congress.
  • Greenwood Drugs is on the west side of Congress.
  • The smaller white building on the east side of Congress is Withers Candy & Gift Co.
  • The large white building on the east side of Congress is the State Highway Department. It was razed years later and replaced with a parking lot.



    Austin, Texas  "Gateway to the Colorado River Lakes"
  • Looking north from inside the Texas Capitol building.
  • St. Martin's Lutheran Church at 14th and Congress is the most prominent building showing in the photograph.
  • St. Martin's Church was demolished in late 1959.
  • During the following years most all of the homes and businesses were replaced with state office buildings and parking lots.



    Austin, Texas  
  • Looking north on Congress Avenue from behind the Capitol building in the 1940s.
  • St. Martin's Lutheran Church at 14th and Congress is on the east side of Congress.
  • St. Martin's was demolished in late 1959.
  • Capital Drugs is on the west side of Congress Avenue.
  • Capital Drugs advertised Polar Ice Cream on its sign. Polar Ice Cream was a home-grown creamery founded by Taylor Glass, who later served as Mayor of Austin. Polar Ice Cream was located on West 6th Street. Their specialty was novelty bars.
  • On the west side of Congress just south of St. Martin's Church was the Blue Bird Coffee Shop. It was a typical "greasy spoon" coffee shop. They served Duchess Deluxe Ice Cream which was made by Superior Dairies in Austin.



    Austin, Texas  "B & B Grill"
  • Photographed in the mid 1940s, B & B Grill was located at 2414 Guadalupe on the west side of the street.
  • Across the street is Hemphill's Bookstore still housed in a wooden building. Later Hemphill's moved to the opposite side of Guadalupe, next to the UT Co-Op, in a modern building.



    Austin, Texas   1946
  • Photographed in 1946 from the UT tower.
  • The Littlefield fountain is visible from this view taken from the UT tower.
  • Looking south down University Avenue toward 19th Street and downtown Austin. Guadalupe and Lavaca streets are noticable on the right side of the photograph.



    Austin, Texas   "Parade Day" 1946
  • Photographed in 1946.
  • Shortly after WWII airplanes from Bergstrom Field on display on the capitol grounds.



    Austin, Texas   "Parade Day" 1946
  • Photographed in 1946.
  • Soon after the end of WWII airplanes from Bergstrom Field on display on the capitol grounds.



    Austin, Texas   "Parade Day" 1946
  • An "Easter Bonnet" float is part of the parade on Congress Avenue.
  • A parade in Austin on Congress Avenue at 11th Street.



    Austin, Texas   1948
  • Barton Springs pool, 1948.
  • Photograph taken from across the pool from the bathhouse.



    Austin, Texas   1940s
  • Buttrey's Department Store, West 6th Street.
  • Photograph from the mid-late 1940s.



    Austin, Texas   April, 1948
  • The tree lined walk to the front door of the Texas Capitol Building.
  • Photograph taken April 1948.



    Austin, Texas   1948
  • Photograph of Congress Avenue in downtown Austin taken from the Capitol Building.
  • Photograph taken in 1948.
  • Compared to the 1921 photograph (top of the page), Austin is growing.



    Austin, Texas  "St. Martin's Lutheran Church" Congress Avenue and 14th Street