For many years there were a couple of businesses in East Austin, around 3rd and Comal St.

Hall Level made carpentry levels of different varieties and sizes. I’m not certain what other products they produced. Information is fairly limited. Doing a Google search, it appears that they may still be a corporation but I haven’t located an address for them.

Across 3rd St from Hall Level, to the north, was D & H Foundry. They made castings of all types, but perhaps their primary business was casting the aluminum levels and other parts for Hall Level.

I’m almost certain there was some common ownership of both businesses. A Mr. Halloway was a major partner in Hall and I believe he was the “H” in D & H.

My dad, Cecil Lewis worked for the foundry for a short time in the 1950’s. I think he was just a handyman.

The foundry was commissioned to make several Chisholm Trail Plaques that were hung around in various places. The one that I am most familiar with is still in place at Congress and 12th, directly in front of the Capitol Building.There are others, like the one that can be seen on the square in Georgetown. Some are burnt orange in color like the Congress Ave one. The one in Georgetown has had colors added to it.

My dad was the one that went around and mounted them. Every time for almost 60 years, I’m always reminded when I see one of them of the pride my father took in being a part of that project.

I went to D & H Foundry in the mid 1980’s and had them make a plaque that was about 1/2 the size of the ones above. It was for a new organization that I was a charter member of. I was called the Texas Utilities Contractors Association or “TUCA”. We were a branch of the National Utilities Contractors Association or “NUCA”.

I’m not sure what ever happened to that plaque after the association disbanded after a few years. I would love to have it, just as a keepsake. It’s probably in a box tucked away in someones attic someplace.