Hyde Park’s Historic District and the Impassioned Locals Behind it
By Kiernan McCormick
Just four miles from the hulking high-rises, construction-zone eyesores, and incessant traffic of downtown, lies a slice of old Austin. The neighborhood of Hyde Park is maintained by locals who care deeply about preserving the area’s history.
The community was the first streetcar suburb of Austin, constructed in the 1890s, according to the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association’s website. Although transportation in the neighborhood has changed, its rainbow of historic homes, vintage sign-bedecked Avenue B Grocery and Market, and majestic neoclassical-style Elisabet Ney Museum remains practically frozen in time.
The suburb possesses one of Austin’s largest collections of historic homes, according to the Hyde Park Preservation Plan and Design Standards, providing its streets with not only a quintessentially quaint allure, but meaningful stories. These homes reflect different styles of the late 19th through mid-20th century, as 87 percent of its architecture and properties were built within the period of 1892–1960.
The Queen Anne style homes in Hyde Park — each a different shade on the color spectrum — demand attention with their sunkissed wraparound porches, long, narrow windows flanked by painted shutters, and fishscale-shingle roofs. Its 20th century Bungalow homes emanate a timeless and humble presence through their small, inviting verandas, and sloped, triangular roofs.
Despite the public’s interest in the neighborhood’s historic district, Hyde Park does not experience immunity from the impending and inevitable threat of developers in Austin. However, thanks to the unrelenting effort of impassioned residents, some of the area’s most significant architecture has been saved.
“If we just stood back and did nothing, some of the most majestic homes in Hyde Park would not be here,” says Kip Dollar, 13-year resident.
Dollar uses the Oliphant-Walker House as an example — a muted green 1894 Queen Anne style residence with grape-hued shutters. As a National Register Historic Property, the house evokes the endearing ethos of Hyde Park. When this local treasure faced demolition, late neighborhood activist Dorothy Richter and several other women blocked the property’s entrance with anything they could — including trash cans and cars — long enough for the City of Austin to stop the destruction.
Hyde Park’s strong history and prioritization of preservation attracts many home buyers in search of a neighborhood with an inimitable sense of character and community.
Before moving to Hyde Park in 2012, resident Joan Burnham lived in a historic landmark house about 10 blocks away from the suburb, in the neighborhood Aldridge Place. Intending to downsize, Burnham followed a friend’s recommendation and chose Hyde Park as her new home.
Although Burnham no longer resides in a historic home, she still lives in the neighborhood’s local historic district. She also serves as chair of Hyde Park’s Historic Preservation Committee, and previously served on the neighborhood’s steering committee twice. This board works with other Austin neighborhood associations to be a collective voice for certain concerns of the city, such as historic preservation.
“We’re contributing to Austin by helping to preserve a neighborhood that’s played a major role, and hopefully we’ll continue to,” Burnham says.
The Historic Preservation Committee’s leader feels that the warm and down-to-earth character of Hyde Park residents coupled with the suburb’s past sets it apart from other pricier areas in Austin, like the Hill Country. Although the region contains beautiful homes, Burnham explained, it evokes a different feeling than that of her neighborhood.
“[Hyde Park is] for people who value older neighborhoods, care about keeping [the] neighborhood up, being a voice in the city for older neighborhoods, and contributing to making Austin a better city,” Burnham says.
Kip Dollar, the former Historic Homes Tour chair, is one of these people.
As an architecture lover, Dollar appreciates preserved neighborhoods like Hyde Park because they provide one with the opportunity to look back on the past. He says the homes in Hyde Park remind him of those from his childhood.
The Historic Hyde Park Homes Tour reflects the importance of authentic domestic architecture to locals, as well as the suburb’s overall character. This tour began sometime between 1975 and 1979, and it typically consists of six or more homes, according to the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association’s website.
While maintaining old architecture is always a priority for the neighborhood, Hyde Park’s citizens fight just as hard to preserve its nature, specifically the historical pecan trees. On March 16, Dollar participated in a vigil in support of protecting a pecan tree near his home from demolition as a result of construction. Although it’s forbidden to cut down these trees, some developers get away with it.
Dollar views his current and past historical preservation work for the neighborhood as fulfilling, particularly when he successfully challenges developers.
“It feels good, especially when you are going up against developers who would raze the entire neighborhood for profit,” Dollar says. “…There’s this feeling of ‘Yes, I’ve participated and I’ve done something to actually save a home or a tree.’”
Austin Fire Station No. Nine is another historic landmark in Hyde Park that was saved by local Dorothy Richter. Shaded by lush trees on Speedway, the brown and cream 93-year-old Tudor Revival’s two-sloped roof and wood framing complements the glistening candy apple red fire trucks it houses.
While development has buried much of the city’s roots, Hyde Park acts as proof that, contrary to popular belief, old Austin is, in fact, not dead.
Self-guided Walking Tour
4403 Avenue B: Avenue B Grocery and Market
Constructed in 1909, this is the city’s oldest grocery store in operation. After shopping, grab a homemade sandwich at its deli Monday-Saturday 10 am-7 pm.
3900 Avenue C: Oliphant-Walker House
This Queen Anne was originally home to William Jones Oliphant — photographer and member of one of Austin’s most historic families. It changed ownership in 1916, when Anna E. Walker, president of the Texas Woman Suffrage Association, acquired it.
4300 Avenue D: Clark-Emmert House
Frank and Amanda Clark built this Queen Anne in 1895; and 20 years later, German immigrants Gustav and Anna Emmert bought it. A deep green with white accents, the home is a striking piece of Austin history.
4401 Avenue D: Woodburn House
Originally built on 200 East 40th street in 1909, this home eventually moved to its current location as an act of protection from demolition. It starred in two movies — “Leadbelly” (1976) and “Hard Promises” (1991).
4400 Avenue G: Shipe Park and Pool
Named after the neighborhood’s founder, Col. Monroe Shipe, in 1928, this park fosters connection between residents. A cherished spot, members of the community update and clean the grounds on the annual It’s My Park Day each spring.
304 East 44th Street: Elisabet Ney Museum
A Hyde Park staple, this museum was the 1892 studio and home of German sculptor Elisabet Ney. Visit for free or book a tour at the museum, open Wednesday-Sunday 12–5 pm.
For an in-depth exploration of Hyde Park, check out the neighborhood’s official walking tour.
