Our Main Street -- not a pretty scene

We walked to a concert at The Paramount Theater the other night and encountered these three people sleeping on Congress Avenue, which used to be called "The Main Street of Texas." Life is difficult for many people.

Batty art

Love this painting of a bat under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Someone had to stand in a boat to paint it, I guess. Well done!

New stretch of the trail

Can't remember if we had already posted a shot of this, but this fancier bit of sidewalk under the Congress Avenue Bridge makes things a lot safer for oldsters like us.

Spring on the Avenue

Flowers bloom and cacti sprout in front of the Yeti Store on Congress Avenue. That's FFP with the shopping bag and the Frost Bank Tower and then the Capitol in the distance.

More marchers

These women from the Austin section of the National Council of Jewish Women got in on the Women's March in January.

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign.

Good thoughts here. Lots of people made elaborate signs for the Women's March last month. We took a lot of photos during the event.

Long march

This is just a hint of how long the Women's March was on Jan. 20th. Even dogs got in on the action.

Vote for me! Or us!

These boys are getting their political careers going early. Maybe they will start with being student council members at their elementary schools.

Nice thoughts. Pass them on!

Two girls gave us these little handwritten slips at the Women's March on Jan. 20th. I'll save them for later use. 

It's always time for cookies.

And not the kind that rattle around in your computer. This cookie stand was set up at the Women's March a few weeks ago. They were doing a brisk business.

A couple marching to their own drummer.

This couple took time on a Saturday afternoon to march for what they believe in. I thought it was a nice post for Valentine's Day.

Taking control

This woman is ready to organize and vote. She was part of the huge crowd that showed up for the Women's March on Jan. 20th. 

A moving statement

This women participated even though she is mobility challenged. 

Handmaidens' Trail

I'm going to post a series of photos that I took at the Women's March up Congress Avenue a few weeks ago. Here's one of some women who went to a lot of trouble to make these costumes and then assemble for the parade.

Vertex

An art installation appeared on the north side of the Congress Avenue Bridge. It is by Jennifer Chenowith. It is part of a project explained here.

New Hotels Rising

Congress Avenue is getting two new hotel properties in one footprint: the Aloft and Element are going up at Seventh Street.

Dressing Up Abandoned Storefronts

A strip of store fronts on Congress has been abandoned for a long time. Someone recenly dressed up the boarded-up first floors with a mural.

Old Stones

Amid all the high rises going up it looks like this historic building at Ninth and Congress is getting rehabillitated. Or is old that old stone just being removed?

Austin Street Scene, 1948

The theme today is "People on the Street." Here you see my parents carrying me down Congress Avenue, the main downtown Austin thoroughfare, in 1948. I was about 1 1/2 years old at that point. The shot was taken by what was called a street photographer. They were guys who set up their cameras on a tripod, snapped shots, and then sold prints to people. I have kept this one in my files. Such a different era -- people really dressed up to go downtown back then. Click here to see how other members of City Daily Photo interpreted the theme.

Mural Evolution

This mural on 8th just west of Congress has evolved over the years. This is a portion of what's there currently.