Then and Now Series

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.

Houston Then and Now (R)

by William Dylan Powell

Published 6 January 2014

In 1836 revolutionaries routed the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto and the nearby town took the name of the battle's victor, General Sam Houston. Since then Houston has become America's fourth largest city, and its magnificent cityscape of concrete, glass, and steel bears little resemblance to traditional Texas imagery. It was an entrepreneurial New York family who first promoted Houston's lush landscape and vast potential in the Northeast and Europe, and the town expanded from a handful of tents into a place of more than 10,000 residents by 1900. Oil was discovered nearby in 1901 and from then on Houston never looked back. Sites include City Hall, Carnegie Library, Houston Courthouse, Merchants and Manufacturers Building, Allen's Landing, Houston Chronicle, Main and Preston, Sam Houston Hotel, USS Texas, San Jacinto Monument, Congress Avenue, Houston Water Works, Hermann Building, Texas Capitol Building, Majestic Metro, Old Cotton Exchange, Gulf Building, Moorish Federal Building, Carter's Folly, Kress Building, Union Station, Esperson Building, Antioch Church, Houston Light Guard Armory, Magnolia Brewery, Grand Central Station, Rice University, Museum of Fine Arts, Hermann Park, Miller Outdoor Theatre, and Warwick Hotel.

Texas Then and Now®

by William Dylan Powell

Published 1 April 2016

Texas Then and Now features the most prominent locations from around the state, comparing vintage photographs with modern views of the same scenes today. Included on these pages are many of the great Texas universities, tourist draws in Austin and Galveston, the historic oil strike at Spindletop, the old stockyards of Fort Worth, the Texas State Capitol in Austin, and the state fairgrounds in Dallas. This collection of Texas landmarks provides a vivid portrait of a dynamic and expanding state—but one that has not forgotten its rich and enduring history.Featruring sites in: Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Goliad, Houston, Galveston, Beaumont, Washington-on-the-Brazos, College Station, Waco, Hillsboro, Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo and El Paso.

Lost Houston

by William Dylan Powell

Published 15 February 2016

A look at how the buildings, streets, and institutions that comprise Houston's cityscape have changed dramatically over the years, and the many that were lost along the waySince its founding in 1836, Houston has become America's fourth largest city. It was a hardscrabble life for the early settlers, but first King Cotton brought wealth to the local economy and then the Lucas Gusher at the Spindletop oilfield made Houston the capital of the American oil and gas business. The old Texas State Capitol was demolished and replaced by the old Rice Hotel, which was then replaced by the 1913 Rice Hotel that stands today. Baseball has been played at Buffalo Stadium, Colt Stadium, and the "EighthWonder" the Astrodome before settling at MinuteMaid Park. The Astros' ballpark occupies the space once occupied by Union Station's platforms and the Houston-to-Dallas Texas Rocket train, both lost to time and progress. Sites include: Camp Logan, Carnegie Colored Library, Houston Chronicle Building. The Binz Building, Original Texas State Capitol, Original Rice Hotel, Old City Hall, Moorish Federal Building, Felix Mexican Restaurant, S.H. Kress and Co., Union Station, Grand Central Station, Trailblazer Monorail, Houston Light Guard Armoury, Luna Park, Metropolitan Theatre, Magnolia Brewery, Streetcars on Heights Boulevard, Waldo Mansion, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Shamrock Hotel, NFL and NBL at the Astrodome, Houston Municipal Air Terminal, and the Sam Houston Coliseum.