With its close proximity to Austin's earliest urban boundaries, Bouldin Creek was an early "suburb," and as such, it's loaded with residential and commercial buildings from different periods of our city's history. But since most of the neighborhood's earliest buildings are of a modest scale, they blend easily with the modest dwellings and businesses of subsequent eras (South Austin was, afterall, largely home to those who couldn't afford to live north of the river in Austin proper). This virtual tour gives you a glimpse at several area homes you may have passed by dozens of times, without noting their histioric value. A tour of later (30s era) stone homes suitable for local istoric district designation can be seen here.
Between 1890 and 1900, early developer Nicholas A. Dawson built several stone houses in the area. The four shown here are among five still standing today. The simple four-room, one-story houses were constructed of locally-quarried limestone, each with a distinctive hexagonal front bay window beside an open front porch with two front doors. Three of the Dawson homes shown here are designated historic landmarks. More photos and historic details from the owner accompany the home below top left (Thanks, Jack!).
The 1892 Stanley stone house (below) at West Mary was built by Robert Stanley with help from his brothers. It is one of the few homes in South Austin with a basement. The house was heated with four pot belly stoves and had no electricity unitil the 1920's. The Stanleys were one of the first African American families to operate their own business in South Austin. The building now housing the Herb Bar, 200 West Mary Street at Eva, was built by Robert S. Stanley and served as a general store until the 1930's. Stanley's second wife, Jennie, ran the store.
This wood frame house, originally located at 1312 South First street,
was moved in 1999 to 615 West Mary at S. Second Street when an out-of-town
landowner wanted to buldoze the abandoned, dilapidated 700 s.f. structure.
Research by Austin's historical preservation department revealed it dates
back to around 1895, when it was built probably by the son of neighborhood
namesake James Bouldin.
The most prominent historic neighborhood residence is the 1894 Victorian
mansion of D
r. E.W. Herndon,
811 W. Live Oak, which is now occupied by Green Pastures Restaurant..