Austin Nostalgia Picture Thread

[Armybrat 40,752]

19 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Threadgill's before Eddie Wilson got hold of it:

Threadgill's after Eddie Wilson was done with it:

Piece about proposed redevelopment, including a statue of Janis Joplin -- I hope they pretty her up some.  Didn't she win the "Ugliest Woman" award or some such at UT?

https://austin.towers.net/preservation-work-planned-for-residential-project-at-threadgills-site/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=threadgills&utm_source=twitter&pro=caitlyn@towers.net

One of my UT girlfriends was a schoolmate of Joplin’s at Port Arthur HS. Early on, she dragged me up to the old joint to see her play. Maybe a dozen or two of us were in the house. That was before she got famous and left for the west coast. She said Joplin & her friends were bullied by a bunch of jocks in high school, one of whom turned out to be Jimmy Johnson. Yeah that Jimmy Johnson.

[DalTxHornFan 3,085]

38 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

One of my UT girlfriends was a schoolmate of Joplin’s at Port Arthur HS. Early on, she dragged me up to the old joint to see her play. Maybe a dozen or two of us were in the house. That was before she got famous and left for the west coast. She said Joplin & her friends were bullied by a bunch of jocks in high school, one of whom turned out to be Jimmy Johnson. Yeah that Jimmy Johnson.

Good story.  I love the fact that Port Arthur has a "Jimmy Johnson Boulevard", while all that Janis has is a historical marker planted on a post in front of the little-bitty house she grew up in.

[tbone_ 14,027]

One of my UT girlfriends was a schoolmate of Joplin’s at Port Arthur HS. Early on, she dragged me up to the old joint to see her play. Maybe a dozen or two of us were in the house. That was before she got famous and left for the west coast. She said Joplin & her friends were bullied by a bunch of jocks in high school, one of whom turned out to be Jimmy Johnson. Yeah that Jimmy Johnson.

I’ve heard Jimmy tell that story.

[Biff Tannen 45,512]

2 hours ago, Lobo said:

didn't snap a photo, but holy shit.  Was on the north end of campus today and decided to wander over to Posse East to get some lunch.  Hadn't been there probably since Covid started.  Holy shit, right behind it...and I mean you could snap a bottle cap at this thing from the outdoor pisser......is a giant fucking apartment complex.  5 stories high, has to be 75-100 doors.  Just right on top of Posse.  I don't even remember what was there before except an empty lot.  Posse has always looked frozen in time, but this really, really accents that effect.  /csb

It was a Subway that closed down probably a year or so before Covid.

[Armybrat 40,752]

20 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

I’ve heard Jimmy tell that story.

Guess it was good practice to scare those Cowboys of his later on.

[Deej 76,587]

1 hour ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Good story.  I love the fact that Port Arthur has a "Jimmy Johnson Boulevard", while all that Janis has is a historical marker planted on a post in front of the little-bitty house she grew up in.

Janis never won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys. 

[smokebomb 357]

SIAP but I found this video interviewing folks living in Clarksville before Mopac was built:

 

 

A couple notes:

1. The crosstown expressway they mention throughout the film never got built. It was going to connect Mopac & I-35 via Enfield/15th street.

2. Seymour Washington, the blacksmith, was also featured in the segment with Townes Van Zandt in the documentary Heartworn Highways (trailer).

3. Apparently East Austin was still pretty rough in the 70s. 

 

[Armybrat 40,752]

Yes, parts of it was, particularly Chicon Street.

But most of the areas were quiet, family-oriented neighborhoods with a tight knit sense of community revolving around the churches and the Old Anderson High School. Closing that venerated school, which really was like the core social center for East Austin, began the dissolution of the AA community.

Edited June 18, 2021 by Armybrat

[Hornius Emeritus 12,424]

SIAP"

The 4th of July Parade on Congress Avenue, 1874.




Pecan Street (6th Street) in the 1890s.

 

A group of folks at a soiree at Woodlawn, 1890s

 

 

 

First National Bank, 1897





Switchboard operators in Austin, 1916.








A and W Stand Austin, 1947



 

 

The staff of the Nighthawk, 1935

 

A black policeman protects a Klansman from a large group of angry counter-protestors at a KKK rally at the capitol, 1983.







A saloon downtown, 188s







A soldier and a pretty young lady flirt at the USO in Austin, during World War II.

Edited July 12, 2021 by Hornius Emeritus

[Biff Tannen 45,512]

Awesome

[tbone_ 14,027]

If that was actually during WWII what was that soldier doing loafing at a bar in Austin?

[Guest Lobo]

Getting ready to fuck your grandma by the looks of it.  

[Hornius Emeritus 12,424]

40 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

If that was actually during WWII what was that soldier doing loafing at a bar in Austin?

There were numerous camps/bases all around Austin. This guy was probably in on a weekend pass from Camp Swift in Bastrop or something. 

[DaggerHorns 3,058]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

Getting ready to fuck your grandma by the looks of it.  

Lmao

[tbone_ 14,027]

That’s funny

[Armybrat 40,752]

That wasn’t me or any of my kids.

[South Austin 52,167]

22 hours ago, tbone_ said:

If that was actually during WWII what was that soldier doing loafing at a bar in Austin?

Getting drunk while aggy was winning the war for us.

[DaggerHorns 3,058]

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/austin-air-conditioned-village

Cool Shit

Edited August 20, 2021 by DaggerHorns

[dcar00 14,036]

4 minutes ago, DaggerHorns said:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/austin-air-conditioned-village

Cool Shit

still quite possibly the 2nd greatest invention of the 20th century right after the airplane.

[Biff Tannen 45,512]

8 minutes ago, DaggerHorns said:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/austin-air-conditioned-village

Cool Shit

How the fuck did they live without AC?  Fuuuuck that. 

[WBT 20,432]

On 4/29/2021 at 4:39 PM, Biff Tannen said:

It was a Subway that closed down probably a year or so before Covid.

Mack used to hit up that Subway

[Armybrat 40,752]

19 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

How the fuck did they live without AC?  Fuuuuck that. 

No a/c when we were stationed at Fort Sam & Camp Hood 1946-50. We had fans, so I don’t recall being bothered by the heat.

[Guest Lobo]

24 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

No a/c when we were stationed at Fort Sam & Camp Hood 1946-50. We had fans, so I don’t recall being bothered by the heat.

You know we're all picturing you with a totally different definition of "Fans", right?  Like not belt-run, but human-run.  Sickie.  

[Armybrat 40,752]

21 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

How the fuck did they live without AC?  Fuuuuck that. 

We had several of these around the house. 
This one was bought by my mom around 1930. It still works fine.

 

[tbone_ 14,027]

Don’t stick your finger in there

[Dewey 3,280]

My grandparents,  who lived somewhere off 35th street, close to campus, had a swap cooler in their living room. As for that fan, one dark night I did get my fingers cut up by those blades. Hurt like hell. Why the fuck in 1988 did people still have those fans? Tight screen,  blue blades. 

[Underdog 28,460]

Is that a first generation Moog Synthesizer in the background? 

[yoladu 4,071]

On 8/20/2021 at 5:12 PM, WBT said:

Mack used to hit up that Subway

Saw Mack at the Subway near 38th and Shoal Creek a couple of times.

[yoladu 4,071]

On 8/21/2021 at 12:29 PM, Armybrat said:

No a/c when we were stationed at Fort Sam & Camp Hood 1946-50. We had fans, so I don’t recall being bothered by the heat.

No A/C in Prather Dorm in 1986/87/88. I lived it.. barely.

Edited August 22, 2021 by yoladu

[Biff Tannen 45,512]

3 hours ago, Underdog said:

Is that a first generation Moog Synthesizer in the background? 

Oh shit

[Stringer 1,437]

On 3/27/2018 at 11:08 AM, Chet Steadman said:

This is one of my all-time favorites.  All the historical documents I've seen identify this site what is now the NEC of Koenig and Burnet but I'm 90% sure that's incorrect and it's actually the NWC of 2222 and Balcones/Parkcrest opposite of the vacant gas station and Jack Brown cleaners site. 

The sign in the foreground is advertising new lots for sale in which would become the Allandale and Highland Park West neighborhoods.

 

I live at the corner of Ridge Oak and Highland Crest, so this LITERALLY hits close to home.

Do you know where I can find a high quality version of this?  Would love to get a nice print for the house.

 

 

 

[Guest Lobo]

23 hours ago, yoladu said:

Saw Mack at the Subway near 38th and Shoal Creek a couple of times.

That would make for a great "College Gameday" if North Carolina ever plays Texas in football again

 

[ftf82 485]

Ran into Mack and Cleve a couple of times at the Pizza Hut on MLK and Lavaca. Always thanked him for coaching up Aikman his one year at OU.

[dcar00 14,036]

3 minutes ago, ftf82 said:

Ran into Mack and Cleve a couple of times at the Pizza Hut on MLK and Lavaca. Always thanked him for coaching up Aikman his one year at OU.

what did you thank Cleve for?

[Wally Pryor 5,245]

For his nickname.   One of the greatest of all time. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8,349]

Cedarchopper woman, circa 1930, prob. Westlake Hills (def "near Austin"). Photo: Alan Lomax / Library of Congress

[MaybeACoordinator 8,349]

On 4/29/2021 at 3:27 PM, DalTxHornFan said:

Good story.  I love the fact that Port Arthur has a "Jimmy Johnson Boulevard", while all that Janis has is a historical marker planted on a post in front of the little-bitty house she grew up in.

That Museum of the Gulf Coast has a huge exhibit for her. It's a generational thing. As the real olds die off the Boomer Olds are showing more love. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8,349]

That Museum is awesome by the way. 

[Deej 76,587]

57 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Cedarchopper woman, circa 1930, prob. Westlake Hills (def "near Austin"). Photo: Alan Lomax / Library of Congress

 

[Armybrat 40,752]

On 8/22/2021 at 2:48 PM, Underdog said:

Is that a first generation Moog Synthesizer in the background? 

Dunno what it is. Pic is from my son’s house. Here’s the other end of his “music room”:

 

[tbone_ 14,027]

Yep. That’s a Moog. Very cool shit.

[Guest Lobo]

No, it's Moor.  It's a Misprint! 

[wood 11,186]

On 4/18/2021 at 1:37 PM, phdhorn said:

Yeah there are a lot of places like that but they're all very small town.

Still I guess Austin was only about 130,000 when I used to fly out of Mueller. I mean you drove up to it and parked like you were going to Target or something. In the later years, sometimes I couldn't find a space right away, but I'll never forget the feeling of pulling up and walking 45 seconds into the ticket counters.

CSB: near the end of my grad student days I had a beat-up Volare (including no reverse) that I was trying to figure out what to do with. I was leaving at Mueller and couldn't find a space, so I actually parked out on Manor or wherever it was on the street parallel parking. I left the windows half down and all the locks up hoping somebody would just steal it and I can claim insurance.

Got back 7 days later it was still there. Guess even the Hood had its standards.

I dunno how far back you'd have to go for the Austin population to be only 130,000, but it would be a pretty long time ago. When we moved here in '77, 22 years before Mueller closed, Austin's population was over 320,000. 

[wood 11,186]

On 4/19/2021 at 7:05 AM, Armybrat said:

I just stumbled across this weird 1952 Butler Pitch & Putt murder story (with LBJ connection). Never heard of it before:

https://www.statesman.com/NEWS/20171019/Murder-at-the-Butler-Pitch-and-Putt

Wow. 

Quote

For instance, respected author Joan Mellen, in her recent book, “Faustian Bargains: Lyndon Johnson and Mac Wallace in the Robber Baron Culture of Texas,” focuses on the murderer’s relationship with LBJ and his myriad secrets, kept over multiple decades. Even more conspiratorial is Barr McClellan’s less respectable “Blood, Money & Power: How LBJ Killed JFK,” which proposes that there might have been some sort of blackmail and cover-up involved in the murder, not romantic rivalry.

What we can readily confirm is that two Johnson attorneys, Edward Clark and John Cofer, acted on Wallace’s behalf after the arrest. After 10 days of testimony in 1952, he was found guilty of murder with malice. Eleven jurors voted for the death penalty, and one argued for life in prison. Judge Charles O. Betts overruled the jury and sentenced Wallace to five years, then suspended the sentence. Wallace went free and later was given a security clearance to work for a defense contractor in Washington, D.C.

Tongues wagged. And they have not stopped wagging.

 

[Guest Lobo]

I don't think Austin proper has been under 150k since the early 1950's.  Of all the Mueller pics I've seen, haven't seen any good ones from the 1990's when I lived near it.  I only flew into/out of it a couple times for grad school interviews (1997 mostly).  By the time I moved back and started flying for work, it was a distant memory and Bergstrom was all the rage.  My only real consistent airport experience was O'Hare and getting a ride there was like asking someone for an organ transplant.  But a roommate or relative could have me from East 29th street to Mueller in 5 minutes which included me getting all the way inside to the check-in desk.  At your gate in another 5 minutes.  I remember one time when I was finally 21 and had a few bucks in my pocket, sitting at that bar off to the left and chugging beers.  And I was off of my stool and onto the gate walkway in what seemed like 3 steps.  

I'd love it if anybody has any interior terminal shots from the 80s or 90s.  I guess no frequent flier would bother photographing a largely forgettable interior but surely some promotional shots or something exist somewhere.  Of all the "See how Austin has grown" montages, you never really see much of Mueller from that era.  Just the really old era of 50's and 60's.  

I also stop and think of what a shitshow Mueller would have been after September 11th.  Its layout was not designed for multiple security checkpoints.  That airport figured quite heavily though into the growth of Austin in that era.  Would we be what we are today if things had gone different?  Our next airport expansion phase, what will it bring or impede?  One thing is for sure, we need more bike lanes to it.  

[Deej 76,587]

14 minutes ago, wood said:

I dunno how far back you'd have to go for the Austin population to be only 130,000, but it would be a pretty long time ago. When we moved here in '77, 22 years before Mueller closed, Austin's population was over 320,000. 

132k in 1950

[wood 11,186]

On 4/20/2021 at 12:28 PM, Armybrat said:

The LBJ cabal at work.

Indeed.

I've worked with some of his descendants. Entitled pricks. The whole lot.

Edited September 2, 2021 by wood

[Guest Lobo]

You at Haynes & Boone?  

[wood 11,186]

Just now, Lobo said:

You at Haynes & Boone?  

Heh, nah. Not surly1%.

[wood 11,186]

On 7/12/2021 at 4:22 PM, Hornius Emeritus said:

SIAP"

The 4th of July Parade on Congress Avenue, 1874.




Pecan Street (6th Street) in the 1890s.

 

A group of folks at a soiree at Woodlawn, 1890s

 

 

 

First National Bank, 1897





Switchboard operators in Austin, 1916.








A and W Stand Austin, 1947



 

 

The staff of the Nighthawk, 1935

 

A black policeman protects a Klansman from a large group of angry counter-protestors at a KKK rally at the capitol, 1983.







A saloon downtown, 188s







A soldier and a pretty young lady flirt at the USO in Austin, during World War II.

I was there when those hillbilly KKK fucks marched down the Drag, standing right across from the Coop. /csb