1900 view towards first City Hall. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
Town square with first City Hall. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
View towards 1928 City Hall. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
Town square with 1928 City Hall that survived the tornado. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
1950s view west. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
Devastation of 1953 tornado. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
1970s “Austin Avenue Mall”, (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
Fountains, awnings, modern lighting, and landscaping were pedestrian friendly. (Texas Collection, Baylor University)
Austin Avenue, Between 4th and 13th Streets
Although not a town square in the traditional sense, the main commercial street acted as a hub of downtown social and commercial activity.
The gaps between buildings in the town (now parking lots) are in many cases the result of the 1953 tornado. A 1970s urban renewal experiment created a pedestrian mall that ended in 1985 allowing two-way traffic once again.
Continue south on Austin Avenue, notice the rather tall building on your right.