Claudia Taylor
Johnson Hall, 210 West 6th Street, was constructed
during the period 1912-14, and served as the U.S. Post Office.
Following construction of a new post office and federal
building in 1965, the building was given to The University
of Texas System by the federal government. It was remodeled
into administrative offices by the UT System in 1970 and
named in honor of Claudia Taylor Johnson, wife of Lyndon
B. Johnson, the thirty-sixth president of the U.S.
O. Henry Hall,
601 Colorado Street, was built between 1877 and 1881 as
a federal courthouse and post office. Following construction
of the new post office at 210 West 6th Street, the building
continued to be used as a courthouse and later for miscellaneous
federal agencies until 1968. Given to the UT System by
the federal government, the building was restored in 1971
and named "O. Henry Hall" after William Sydney
Porter, the noted American short story writer whose pseudonym
was O. Henry and whose trial for embezzlement was held in
the federal courthouse.
Ashbel Smith
Hall, the nine-story structure at 201 West 7th
Street, was built between 1972 and 1975. It was named for
Ashbel Smith of Galveston, who was a member of the UT
Board of Regents from 1881 to 1886, and president of the
board from 1881 to 1886. The Board of Regents meeting room
is located on the ninth floor of Ashbel Smith Hall.
Colorado Building,
702 Colorado Street, was originally constructed in 1936
as the home of the Austin American-Statesman,
and housed Austin’s local newspaper until 1953. Thereafter,
the six-story building was renamed three times respective
to its various occupants. In 1983, its name was designated
as the Colorado Building. In 1991, the Colorado Building
became the property of the UT System.
Lavaca Building,
220 West 7th Street. The Gracy Title Company built the
existing building in 1971 based on a design by Kneer and
Hamm, Associates - Ft. Worth, Texas (Bill Kneer and TZ
Hamm).
The site was originally a Presbyterian church. An historical
marker on the site reads: "The Rev. William M. Baker and five
charter members organized the First Presbyterian Church of Austin
in 1850. Abner Cook, future designer of the Governor's mansion, was
among the charter members and was elected a ruling elder. In 1851,
members erected a wood frame building on two lots at this site, which
Cook donated to the church. The members enlarged the structure in
1855 and in 1875 agreed to construct a stone building. They built
the first floor and met there until funding was available to complete
the edifice in 1890. With the later addition of an annex and tower,
it served until 1960, when the congregation moved to a site in North
Central Austin."
See also
Chronological
Dates in UT System History
About UT System
