In the 1950s, several research laboratories and think tanks were founded in Austin, attracting high-tech companies and innovative thinkers to the region. The Austin economy flourished, attracting even more modern amenities to the area. Several movie theaters opened, as well as public swimming pools, a branch library system, and a professional baseball team.
Austin’s rapid growth was primarily attributed to its traditional strengths — education and government. Austin’s ethnic relations also began to change during the 1950s. The first step was a sustained attack on segregation. Local black leaders and political action groups desegregated schools and services in the city. The University of Texas became the first major southern university to admit black students in 1956.
During the 1950s, Austin’s population grew, and lifestyle changes created a higher electricity demand: washing machines, dishwashers, and televisions became more prevalent, and air conditioning became more common. Austin built the Seaholm Power Plant in 1948, referred to as Power Plant No. 2 at the time, to meet the post-World War II electrical demand. In 1950 and 1955, two phases of the power plant were built on the north shore of Lady Bird Lake, just west of the city’s steam plant. The three buildings on site – the Turbine Generator Building, Water Intake Structure, and Oil Heating Plant – were constructed with solid concrete and decorated in the Art Deco style.
These fascinating vintage photos will take you back to 1950s Austin.
#1 The Alamo Hotel at 400 W. 6th Street, 1957
#2 The Bluebonnet departing from Austin, 1954
#3 Aerial view of Austin with the Tower and Capitol barely visible in the background, 1953
#4 Austin Candy Company Drug Store, 1953
#5 From the southeast of the State Capitol, an aerial shot of downtown Austin, The Driskill, Captiol and UT Tower all in view, 1959
#6 Harvey Penick at Austin Country Club, 1950
#7 Ted Weems and Dancers at the Austin Club, 1951
#8 A line of men, women, and children at the Adams Extract factory open house, 1956
#9 Train Wreck at San Marcos, 1950
#10 Austin Skyline from I-35, 1957
#11 Inauguration Day parade held in front of the Capitol building in Austin, 1953
#12 Austin Power Plant Construction, 1959
#13 Chief Justice Tom C. Clark in Austin, 1950
#14 Adams Extract display, 1956
#15 News coverage, KONO Special events, 1954
#16 An aerial view of the West Winds Motel, 1956
#17 Six men seated around a small table. 5th from left is then Senator Lyndon Johnson, 1953
#18 Austin Hotel Entrance and Reception Area, 1954
#19 Directly south of the State Capitol and above Congress Ave., Shot of downtown Austin with The Driskill, Captiol, and UT Tower in view, 1959
#20 The exterior of Austin Motel, located at 1220 South Congress Avenue. There is a large swimming pool in front of the building, 1955
#21 Lobby and registration desk at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel, located at 701 Congress Avenue, 1950
#22 Stark shot of the UT Tower lit up at night on 21st street, 1957
#23 United States Courthouse at Austin, 1955
#24 Product displays at Austin’s Drive In, 1957
#25 Aerial view of Austin Power Plant Construction, 1959
#26 Men working in a shop for the construction of the new Austin American-Statesman building. Austin, Texas, 1953
#27 Austin Motorcycle Company with Police Men, 1953
#28 The front of the Capitol building in Austin, 1954
#29 Austin Life, Ausin Mutual Life Building, 1951
#30 Austin Country Club, 1953
#31 Austin National Bank Drive-In Bank, 1955
#32 The Austin Tropic Shop furniture store. There are numerous types of rattan furniture on display, 1950
#33 View of Austin Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company, 1951
#34 Austin Savings and Loan Assosciation Building, 1951
#35 The 800 blocks of E. 4th Street looking east. Austin Pipe & Supply Co. is on the south side of the street, 1959
#36 Construction of the control tower at Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin, Texas, 1960
#37 Construction of Austin Municipal Airport, 1960
#38 Scene of Governor’s Mansion, Austin, 1954
#39 People wading and floating in the water at Lake Austin Beach, 1956
#40 Men and women of the South Austin Civic Club meet for an unknown event, 1955
#41 View of one building which houses both the Farmers Insurance Group and Austin Savings, 1952
#42 The Austin Club lounge with a seating area enclosed in a low brick wall, 1955
#43 A street-side view of the Austin National Bank with a row of cars parked on the street in front of the building, 1954
#44 Stephen F. Austin State Park (Restored Home of Stephen F. Austin, 1958
#45 Roof Fire Damage of Austin Avenue Methodist Church, 1954
#46 Top View of Fire Damage on Austin Avenue Methodist Church, 1954
#47 Front View of Fire Damage to Austin Avenue Methodist Church, 1954
#48 Austin American-Statesman newspaper chute, 1953
#49 South Austin Christian Church, 1950
#50 Bank of Austin (more distant), President R M McKee, East Oltorf St., 1957
#51 South Austin Baptist Church, 1957
#52 South Austin Baptist Church, 1957
#53 Exterior view of a Baptist Church in South Austin, 1957
#54 North Austin Fire Station No. 16 at 7000 Reese Lane at its intersection with Cullen Avenue, 1957
#55 Entrance and parking lot of the Country Club of Austin, located on East Riverside Drive on the east end of Felix Avenue, 1953
#56 The Daughters of the American Revolution (Thankful Hubbard Chapter) headquarters at 708 San Antonio Street in Austin, Texas, 1953
#57 Anderson’s Gulf Service Station and crew located on the 1700 block of East 12th Street, 1956
#58 Austin National Bank Drive-In Bank, 1955
#59 Austin National Bank Drive-In Bank, 1955
#60 United States Courthouse at Austin, 1955
#61 View of ballroom and dance floor. The country club was located at 5712 Riverside Dr., 1950
#62 Interior view of room with tables and chairs. The County Club was on Montopolis Rd. (Riverside Drive), 1950
#63 Men in discussion at table, probably administrators, 1958
#64 View looking south of UT Tower on South Mall, facing further on to Downtown Austin, 1958
#65 Aerial shot of cranes and scaffolding at TEC construction site. 15th Street, 1958
#66 Austin Skyline (closer view) from south of the Colorado River on I-35, 1957
#67 Aerial shot of finished TEC Building. Brazos St on the lower right and 14th on the lower left, 1958
#68 Aerial shot of steel frame structure of TEC building. Brazos St is on the lower right and 14th on the lower left, 1958
The Swedish Central Methodist Church (State purchased and demolished in the 1950s, as state administration grew and government complex spread). In the center of photograph note steeple of Gethsemane Lutheran Church (15th and Congress; above the TEC building), to the left St. Austin's Catholic Church steeple (20th and Guadalupe) and the Goodall Wooten Dormitory to the right. The University campus on the top right.
