Category: Amazing Things

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Construction BizLeave a comment

Martin Hill Reservoir – City of Austin’s Water Utility

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West of Loop 1 at Shoreline Dr. (north end of Mopac) This is the largest steel potable water tank in the US. (or it was not long ago) It’s capacity is 34 million gallons. It is 260′ in diameter, 120′ high (in the center) and 80′ at the edges.It covers 53,000 sf in area. It is a landmark that can be seen for miles and miles away on approach into Austin by air. . I always wondered where the name Martin Hill originated. After posting recently about Austin White Lime, the name AF Martin jumped out at me, the original … Continue reading Martin Hill Reservoir – City of Austin’s Water Utility

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Construction Biz, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Austin White Lime – Austin, Texas

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Strange how much of it doesn’t look so much different 134 years later. I was informed that Austin White Lime ceased producing products in August 2024 and preparations are being made to get the property ready for its next life. HISTORY – Austin White Lime Company, Ltd. was founded in 1888 as Martin and Walker, with A.F. Martin serving as president and proprietor. Around 1891, the company become officially known as Austin White Lime Company, Ltd. The company quickly gained a reputation for manufacturing quality products and was recognized in prominent publications for that time. The Industrial Advantages of Austin, … Continue reading Austin White Lime – Austin, Texas

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Construction Biz, The History of TexasLeave a comment

Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX)

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Edwin “Ned” deSteiguer Snead(1929 – 2015) (The following is excerpted from his obituary) In 1992, at an age when most men are retiring, Ned created Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX). GREX is a rail services company providing the railroads with specialty equipment and innovative technological products and services to maintain and repair track all over North America. Much of the equipment that GREX uses was invented and patented by Ned, including the DUMP TRAIN, a train that unloads itself by way of a conveyor belt running the length of the train. Also unique to GREX is the SLOT MACHINE, ballast … Continue reading Georgetown Rail Equipment Company (GREX)

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Georgetown Railroad

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This invitation I received was from a few years ago. (6 1/2 years ago) This is a very well run operation. By operating their own railroad, I’ve been told puts them in a very unique and enviable position in the crushed stone industry. When they ship products from their crusher to locales far away on GRR, they collect the lion share of the freight fee (something like 80%) since it is the point of origin. That’s just the way the system is setup. The story as I heard it, Mr. Snead tried to get various rail companies to service them … Continue reading Georgetown Railroad

Amazing Things, Construction, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Expansion of Austin to the Northwest

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No name is larger than David B Barrow when thinking of the expansion of Austin to the north and west. Far West, Greystone, Mesa Dr., the Cat Mountain area and beyond can all be credited to David B Barrow. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Hills,_Austin,_Texas David B Barrow – the master developer of Northwest Hills of Austin, showing his arrowhead / artifacts collection. 1949 https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth62954/ Continue reading The Expansion of Austin to the Northwest

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Texas History, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Texas Crushed Stone

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Everyone has driven by the huge rock crushing plant between Round Rock and Georgetown. How many know where it was located prior to move there in the late 50s? The area along Mopac and from Far West Blvd south was the original location for this operation. The area where Doss Elementary & Murchison Jr. High is located was once being blasted away to make limestone road base used all around the city. Below in the article where it says Bill Snead, the son E.B. Snead begin working at the quarry operation in 1965, I know for a fact that he … Continue reading Texas Crushed Stone

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The History of TexasLeave a comment

Was Buster Brown Really From Bertram?

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I have long heard it told that Buster Brown, the little fellow that advertised Buster Brown Shoes was from Bertram. Well it appears that may be at least partially correct. However, there were probably many Buster Browns that were used throughout the times in advertising campaigns. The Buster Brown of Bertram fame supposedly was Johnny Clifton. He may have been from the community of Oatmeal. I found very little information about Johnny and his family. If anyone has other info, please share it. The most I found was an article from 1993 when the old McGill’s Store was closing, there … Continue reading Was Buster Brown Really From Bertram?

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Why Did I Think This Would Work ?

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Once or twice a week I go to a place for breakfast. Nothing is cheap anymore. But the menu has biscuits and gravy and for an additional amount you can get sausage crumbles on top. Always feeling that biscuits and gravy (or SOS) is a poor man’s breakfast, I never ordered it because $12 seemed a bit high to me. Of course adding $3 for sausage made it $15. I brought it up to my server a time or two that it seemed to be miss-priced. You can get a full meal deal breakfast for $15 and that’s what I … Continue reading Why Did I Think This Would Work ?

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Walter Yates – A True Adventurer

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I never knew him personally, but followed him through writings in various publications. He first hit my radar through a friend we shared in common, Udo Haufler. I think Mr. Yates lived the life of adventure that many of us long for. Following is his obituary from the Austin Statesman that tells a lot about his life. For a detailed look at his life, his book Breakaway, tells about about his exploits. Obituary of Walter “Yukon” YATES1924 – 2015 YATES, Walter “Yukon”Walter “Yukon” Yates, age 90, passed away March 2, 2015. Walter was born on October 19, 1924 as the … Continue reading Walter Yates – A True Adventurer

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, In and Around Austin, The Construction BizLeave a comment

Bill Tabor – Inventor and Hydronaut

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I wouldn’t tell you that I ever really got to know Bill Tabor, but we were in the same type of construction business in and around Austin, back in the 1970s. I’d run into him from time to time. We both frequented the Jim’s Coffee Shop on Ben White Blvd and we would see each other and chat sometimes. Bill operated Travis Country Stables on Boston Lane out toward Oak Hill. He had his finger in a lot of things. He also operated a store, Tabor Town down around Cedar Creek. I read where Bill passed away back in 2017. … Continue reading Bill Tabor – Inventor and Hydronaut