“The Story of Austin” Historical Walking Tour
Supplementary Images & Articles
1835 Mexican State of Coahuila y Tejas
Mexico gained it’s independence from Spain in 1821, and claimed all the territory which Spain had claimed from Mexico to the southern border of Oregon. Claiming it was one thing, actually settling it was another. By 1835, Mexico had settled the area of Texas show on this map. Each colored section was a colony granted to an Empresario, whose job it was to recruit settlers. This campaign was very effective and Mexico was able to bring in more settlers in 14 years than Spain had done in over 100 years. The natives were driven west.
1839 City Plan,
Downtown Austin
Mirabeau Lamar sent surveyors to the settlement of Waterloo on the Colorado River in 1839 to survey and draw up a map of a city. This is the map they delivered to him, now called the 1839 city plan, which came to fruition in the following years. This section of town evolved into Downtown Austin.
1844 Austin -
Corner of Congress & 6th
The first roads built in Austin were 6th and Congress, pictured here. Capitol Square sat empty for several decades. Wooden structures were distributed around the landscape. At the top of Congress Avenue to the left is a larger structure which was our first Capitol building containing the House on one side and the Senate on the other. Shoal Creek runs up the bottom left page of the picture and is inaccurately close to Congress Avenue. The condensed West 6th might mean that Angelina Eberly’s Inn may be one of the three structures drawn there between Congress and the creek. Notice the rolling hills. Austin was seen as a lush and beautiful natural site, in contrast to the flat forests of East Texas.
Sam Houston
Sam Houston was the general of the Texian army in the revolution against Mexico. Then he was elected first president of the Republic of Texas. Then third president of the Republic. Then when Texas became a state, he was elected Texas State Senator, and then as the Governor of Texas until he was forcibly removed from office for not supporting secession to the Confederacy. He died shortly thereafter. He had nine children.
Mirabeau Lamar
Lamar was elected Vice President under Sam Houston’s first Presidency and then elected Second President of the Republic of Texas.
Eviction of Madams
& Prostitutes, 1913
(Austin American-Statesman, Sept 10, 1913) This article pertains to the first stop on our tour regarding the historic red light district Guytown and it’s shutter in 1913. Below is a transcript of the above news clipping.
(Austin American Statesman Clipping Sept 10, 1913)
Mayor Delivers Written Orders to Chief Morris
Police Department Head Says his Men Will Obey
Instructions are to Notify Inmates of the Restricted District to Vacate by October 1.
Mayor Wooldridge yesterday took a definite step to enforce the closing of the houses in the restricted district of Austin. Chief of Police Morris received written instructions at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon delivered to him in person by the Mayor.
After having read the orders Chief Morris announced that he would carry out in detail the instructions he had received. “It will be no half-way matter,” said the Police Chief. “I have been given orders and so far as I can every one will be obeyed.”
The following is a copy of the orders delivered by Mayor Woodridge to Chief Morris:
“Sept. 9, 1913 – W. J. Morris, City Marshal, Austin, Texas– My Dear Mr. Morris: I have the honor to request you to notify all known prostitute (white, black and Mexican, and prostitutes of other nationalities, if any), in the city of Austin, who can be ascertained to be such, to quit their illegal business by the first day of October, 1913.
“I also have the honor to request you to notify all owners and agents of all known houses of prostitution in this city that the business of prostitution must be discontinued at those houses prior to the first day of October, 1913.
“I will also thank you to notify all such prostitutes as are designated above that if, after the first day of October, they are found to be plying their unlawful trade in the city of Austin, they will be prosecuted to the limit of the law.
“I also instruct you to notify the owners and agents of all known or reasonably suspected houses of prostitution in the city of Austin, Texas that if such houses of prostitution shall continue to be used, or In any manner operated as houses of prostitution after the first day of October, 1913, the owners and agents thereof will be prosecuted to the limit of the law.
“I will also thank you to notify any prostitute who may indicate a desire to lead a better life that honest efforts will be made by me and others to aid her to obtain legitimate employment by means of which she can make an honest living.
“I count, with confidence, upon your vigorous enforcement of these instructions. Very sincerely yours,
A. P. Wooldridge
“Mayor and Acting Superintendent Police and Public Safety.”
The Servant Girl Murders of 1885 — The Malay Cook theory
This article was reprinted in newspapers across the United States in November of 1888. It pertains to our second stop on the Story of Austin walking tour in which we talk about the Austin murders of 1885. Below is a transcript of the above article.
THE MALAY COOK.
Strange Coincidence in Austin and Whitechapel Woman Murders.
Austin, Tex., Nov. 18.-- A very curious circumstance has been discovered here bearing on the London murders, and which strengthens the opinion entertained by many at the Whitechapel murderer is identical with the assassin who killed eight women in 1885.
An article published in the Daily Statesman calling attention to the similarity of the Austin and London crimes and especially the fact that a Malay cook running on ocean vessels was suspected, called forth a letter to the editor. The letter stated that a Malay cook had been employed at a small hotel in Austin in 1885, the date of the Austin assassinations.
A reporter investigated the matter, calling on Mrs. Schmidt, who kept the Pearl House, near the foot of Congress avenue, opposite the Union Depot, three years ago. It was ascertained that a Malay cook calling himself Maurice had been employed at the house in 1885, and that he left some time in January, 1886.
It will be remembered that the last of the series of Austin women murders was the killing of Mrs. Hancock and Mrs. Eula Phillips, the former occuring on Christmas eve, 1885, just before the Malay departed, and that the series then ended.
A strong presumption that the Malay was the murderer of the Austin women was created by the fact that all of them except two or three resided in the immediate neighborhood of the Pearl House.
Mrs. Hancock, with her husband, lived within one block, and so did Mary Ramie, the colored girl, and others who were assassinated in their beds and dragged out into their yards.
Young William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) when he lived in Austin, Texas.
Short story author was just Will Porter when he lived in Austin. Listen to his most famous short story “The Gift of the Magi” courtesy of LibriVox below.
Collection of O Henry short stories available online at www.gutenberg.org
Susanna Dickenson “Messenger of the Alamo”
Susanna Dickenson entered the Alamo with her husband and baby, and left with only her baby. They were two of the few survivors of the famous battle in San Antonio. Hers is a grueling tale of early Texas hardship and perseverance. The Susanna Dickenson museum is located in Brush Square on 5th Street.
William Radam and his Microbe Killer
This book is available on archive.org
(from the book)
Microbe Killer Container
