Historic Photos
Please note that the photos on this page are displayed through links to The Portal to Texas History website under their use agreement. The originals are in the possession of the Austin History Center and may be copyrighted. Permission to publish or display images will need to be obtained from the Austin History Center.
Construction of a stone bridge over Barton Creek just above Barton Springs was completed in 1889. The heavy rains and floods in April, 1900 washed out this bridge. These were the same rains and floods that led to the overtopping and failure of the Austin Dam on Lake Macdonald (now Lake Austin) and created the Colorado River flood through Austin on April 7, 1900. The arch spans 108 feet and is 26 feet in height. The old Rabb house can be seen in the background on photo #1 (just under the right side of the arch) and photo #2 (to the right of the bridge).
- Stone Bridge over Barton Creek #1 [date unknown; between 1899 and 1900] (looking downstream to the east)
- Stone Bridge over Barton Creek #2 [date unknown; between 1899 and 1900] (looking downstream to the east)
- Stone Bridge over Barton Creek #3 [Dec 1894] (looking upstream to the northwest)
- Stone Bridge over Barton Creek #4 [date unknown; beteween 1899 and 1900] (looking upstream to the southwest)
- Stone Bridge over Barton Creek #5 [date unknown; between 1899 and 1900]
- Remnants of Stone Bridge over Barton Creek [1908] (looking downstream at southern bridge abuttment)
Aerial Views of Zilker Neighborhood
- Early Undeveloped View of Zilker Neighborhood [date unknown but probably around 1887]
(as viewed from north of the Colorado River, possibly from the Capitol, looking south; Zilker is above and to the right of the railroad bridge) - Aerial View of Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool [exact date unknown but probably around 1928-1930]
(looking north; the new Barton Springs Road Bridge built in 1926 and the new Barton Springs Pool Dam built in 1928 are visible) - Aerial View of Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool [1938]
(looking north; Barton Springs Road through Zilker Park and Lou Neff Drive are now present) - Aerial View of Northern Portion of Zilker Neighborhood [03 Jul 1954]
(Colorado River to about Treadwell on the right w/ the old Disch Baseball Field and the Colliseum in the foreground)
Street Views of Zilker Neighborhood
- Entrance to Zilker Park [03 Sep 1938] (looking west along Barton Springs Rd just after Barton Creek Bridge)
- Bobby Layne's Bowl-A-Rama @517 S Lamar Blvd [10 Jun 1959] (now the location of Bicycle Sport Shop)
- South Lamar Plaza Shopping Center [25 Feb 1958] (now the location of Lamar Union)
- Davis Cleaners @1601 S Lamar Blvd, Virginia Grill, Sellers Bedding Company [24 Mar 1958] (northeast corner of South Lamar and Evergreen)
- National Biscuit Company @ 615 S Lamar Blvd [28 Mar 1957] (east side of S Lamar Blvd; later the location of Ridgeway's and now Eberley)
- Youngblood's Fried Chicken @ 404 S Lamar Blvd [21 Mar 1958] (formerly the location of Lamar Cafe; later the location of Rainbow Inn and now P-Terry's; looking north)