Butler Brick Company, Austin Texas. (original) (raw)

‹ Barton Springs, page 4 - Zilker Park

Of historical interest is the story of the Butler Brick Company whose history is intertwined with Barton Springs. The Butler Brick Company was founded by Michael Butler in 1873 when he came from Limerick, Ireland to join his brother Patrick in Austin. The first plant was located between Congress Avenue and East Avenue (now IH35) but was washed out by repeated floods. Butler built another plant south of the river along Barton Springs Road. Butler and Zilker had land that bordered each other where the fence line met at the old rock bridge over Barton Creek. If one built a fence, the other did, too. When one planted alfalfa, the other soon followed. One fenced in Robert E. Lee Road, so the other told city council to take it down. The Colorado River filled with deposits of red clay which were eventually used by Butler to construct bricks for the Paggi House. Bricks were hauled across the river on a cable (some of the support towers can still be seen on the shores of Town Lake). Eventually, a city dump was built on the old brick quarry and then Zilker Park was developed over it. The pit is still visible along the hike and bike trail and is marshy and sulfurous. The Butler family finally moved their plant to Sandy Creek near Elgin because the soil had more clay. Butler's bricks were used in the construction of City Hall, the capitol building of 1888, the train depot on Congress Avenue, and the Board of Trade building.

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Photo courtesy Chandra Moira Beal, 2001

Barton Springs

TE Editor's Note: This chapter is the text for pages 27 through 37 of Splash Accross Texas - courtesy of the book's author, Chandra Moira Beal. Thorough in research, rich in history, description and recreational information, this engaging chapter should be read in it's entirety. However, for quick reference for internet users, we take the liberty of breaking up the chapter by topics ( in sequence ) as follows:

• About Barton Springs
• Sunken Gardens,1947 Bathhouse, The Environmental Debate
• Maintenance, & Endangered Barton Springs salamander
• Philosopher's Rock, pecan tree
• The Pool
• The Polar Bear Club, Barton Creek Greenbelt, New Trail
• Barton Creek
• Swimming Holes in Barton Creek
• Zilker Park
• Botanical Garden, Zilker Zephyr miniature train ride
• Zilker Hillside Theatre, Austin Nature Center, McBeth Recreation Center, Beverly Sheffield Education Center
• Butler Brick Company
• Addendum: Barton Springs Endangered SalamanderBook Hotel Here › Austin Hotels

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.