Austin Texas Then And Now

This is a book of historic and contemporary photographs of Austin, Texas. Each historic photograph is paired with a contemporary view taken from the identical vantage point. Accompanying text and maps provide information relevant to each photograph.

Extensively revised, redesigned, Austin Then and Now® puts archive and contemporary photographs of the same landmark side-by-side to showcase the city's pastAustin is known for its impressive streets and period architecture, particularly the imposing State Capitol and the view down Congress Avenue. It offers a blend of outstanding natural attractions including Barton Springs and Town Lake, as well as international venues such as the stunning new Circuit of the Americas, the home of the U.S. Grand Prix. From its beginnings as a sleepy village to its current position as the Texas state capital, Austin has witnessed incredible growth. This captivating chronicle of a fascinating city matches historic images with specially commissioned views of the same scenes as they appear today. Locations include Driskill Hotel, Sixth Street, O. Henry Museum, Pierre Bremond House, Paramount Theatre, Millet Opera House, Texas Capitol, St. Mary's Cathedral, Lundberg Bakery, Old Travis County Courthouse, Governor's Mansion, Old Land Office, Moonlight Towers, Custer House, University of Texas Tower, Pemberton Heights, Texas State Hospital, Barton Springs, and Circuit of the Americas.

By using the same locations and angles as in the original historic photographs, well-known Texas photographer Richard Reynolds retakes the images, illuminating the march of progress in the Lone Star State. Divided into six regions, the entire state is presented, from small towns to big cities and natural areas. An encapsulated history accompanies each photograph.

"A photographic tour of Texas using vintage archival images compared to the same sites as they appear today. Includes views of major cities such as Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, as well as popular tourist spots such as the Alamo"--

Historic Photos of Austin captures the remarkable journey of this city and her people, in still photography from the finest archives of city, state, and private collections. From the Civil War period, to the rise of industry, two World Wars and into the modern era, Austin has remained a city of change and innovation. With about two hundred archival photographs reproduced in stunning black and white on heavy art paper, this book is the perfect addition to any historian's collection.

As the capital of Texas, Austin has a long and colorful history. The first residents were nomadic Native Americans who camped here as long ago as 9000 BC because of the area's beauty, the clear Colorado River, and the wildlife. These are the very same things that attract people to Austin today. Originally called Waterloo, Austin has grown from a tiny town on the edge of the western frontier in 1839 into the capital city it is today. The University of Texas lent prestige, the state government erected buildings, the railroads came to town, and Congress Avenue--the "main street" of Texas--filled with thriving businesses.

In the 1950s, a series of dams was proposed along the Brazos River in north-central Texas. For John Graves, this project meant that if the stream’s regimen was thus changed, the beautiful and sometimes brutal surrounding countryside would also change, as would the lives of the people whose rugged ancestors had eked out an existence there. Graves therefore decided to visit that stretch of the river, which he had known intimately as a youth. Goodbye to a River is his account of that farewell canoe voyage. As he braves rapids and fatigue and the fickle autumn weather, he muses upon old blood feuds of the region and violent skirmishes with native tribes, and retells wild stories of courage and cowardice and deceit that shaped both the river’s people and the land during frontier times and later. Nearly half a century after its initial publication, Goodbye to a River is a true American classic, a vivid narrative about an exciting journey and a powerful tribute to a vanishing way of life and its ever-changing natural environment.