Buildings of Texas: Central, South, and Gulf Coast by Gerald Moorhead

Abstract

BOOK REVIEWS Gerald Moorhead. Buildings ofTexas: Central, South, and GulfCoast. Charlottesville and London: University ofVirginia Press, 2013, 608 pp., 351 black-and-white illustrations, hardcover, ISBN 9780813932552. Texas is unique. Senator William Blakley observed that it is neither southern nor western. "Texas is Texas," he said.1 Its enormous size and cultural diversity, and its long and colorful history challenge the historian to come to terms with its rich architectural heritage. Gerald Moorhead embraces this task in Buildings of Texas: Central South, and GulfCoast, the first oftwo volumes to document the architecture of Texas as part of the Buildings ofthe United States (BUS) series. Moorhead, a noted architect, writer, and architectural photographer, edits the volume and does the photography. A strong group of collaborators assist him: James W Steely, W Dwayne Jones, Anna Mod, John C. Ferguson, Cheryl ARRIS 64 § Volume 25 § 2014 Caldwell Ferguson, Mario L. Sanchez, and Stephen Fox draw on their expertise with specific areas of the state, while Steph MacDougal, Patsy Pittman Light, and Rob Walsh also contribute. There are many books about Texas architecture. Most are specialized treatments; few attempt to be comprehensive because the task is daunting. Even surveys such as Architecture in Texas, 1895 - 1945 by the late Jay Henry narrow the focus to make the subject manageable.2 Buildings of Texas, which takes on half the state's architectural landmarks, defines a niche that others have not filled. Those wanting more should consult its excellent bibliography. Moorhead organizes the book geographically, by region, because at one level this is a guidebook, and it can serve as a portable-if weighty-companion for those who travel the state. In that regard it does not disappoint, offering more than enough architectural highlights to fill any itinerary. Yet more is expected from the Society of Architectural Historians' BUS series, whose audience includes academics and professional architectural historians. The scholarly orientation of Buildings of Texas is clear at once: a substantial introduction provides the historical background and context for the architecture treated in the following chapters. Moreover, each chapter begins with a lengthy essay about the history of the region in question, explaining why it is distinct from other parts of Texas and showing how the forces of geography, history, and culture shaped its identity. Aided by maps, a thorough description for each landmark follows the introductory essay, beginning with the city that anchors the region before moving outward to surrounding areas. The authors begin in the center of the state with its most distinctive region, the rugged land known as the Texas Hill Country. Its gateway is the capital city, Austin, home to the state government and the sprawling University of Texas campus. Recently, it has become known for its thriving music scene and its booming high-technology industry. Yet many of the landmarks chosen for the discussion ofAustinwell -known government and university buildingsare predictable. More interesting are the surprises found on the byways of central Texas. The churches, courthouses, and pavilions of Brenham, Round Top, Schulenburg, and other small towns are a testament to the influence ofthe German and Eastern European immigrants who settled the area. Their architectural legacy includes some unusual building types. The large polygonal dance halls-eighteen of themare said to be unique to Texas and receive extended discussion. South of Austin is San Antonio, the largest city in South Central Texas. San Antonio is one of the oldest settlements in Texas and is now a mecca for tourists drawn by its deeply Hispanic character and its Spanish colonial buildings. Its oldest structures date from the eighteenth century. They include the Alamo, a former Spanish mission and site of a pivotal battle for Texas independence; La Villita, a restored Spanish village; and the Spanish Governor's Palace. Nearby are many nineteenth-century commercial buildings and the King William District, a well-preserved neighborhood ofnineteenth-century homes. At the heart ofit all is the Riverwalk, a portion ofthe San Antonio River lined by hotels, shops, and restaurants. South of downtown is a group of four eighteenth-century Spanish missions that comprise the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Although San Antonio is a modern and thriving metropolis and is the state's...