November 25, 2012 - Fairview Park (YRE)

Today was a gorgeous day to walk the 10k YRE walk in the Fairview Park/Travis Heights section of South Austin. Our walk started at Extended Stay America (formerly Homestead Studio Suites). After walking down South Congress, we turned into the Fairview Park neighborhood.

"The Academy"

Charles Newning began developing Fairview Park in the 1880's with an emphasis on large lots, graded curving streets and extensive landscaping. This vision can be still be seen in this lovely neighborhood. There is a wide variety of architectural styles, including Victorian, Queen Anne, Craftsman, and even Spanish Colonial Revival. My favorite was "The Academy," built in 1889.

 


 

Spanish Colonial Revival

The greenbelt

Before heading to the Travis Heights neighborhood, the route follows a greenbelt alongside a creek, emerging near the community swimming pool, built by the WPA in 1935. Travis Heights was founded in 1912 and most of it was built in the 1920's. This neighborhood also contains many notable period houses, including Four Square, Colonial Revival, Queen Anne and Arts & Crafts.

 

Street food on "SoCo"

Emerging on South Congress Street, we stopped at Wahoo's Fish Taco for lunch, before proceeding down a lengthy stretch of South Congress Street. South Congress Street is a fun, eclectic street full of hip cafes and boutiques. It was Sunday and South Congress Street also offered a street fair with craft tents and food wagons. The impressive campus of the Texas School for the Deaf is also located on Congress Street. 

What a treasure this section of Austin is!

Walk Route: B+

Walk Instructions: B 

(It was hard to follow the instructions in a few places, especially after crossing the bridge into the greenbelt.)