The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960 Page: 433
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The City of Austin on the Eve of the Civil War
June, 1860. Behind the building, on Bois d'Arc Street, was the old
Gazette Building, occupied by W. H. Reynolds and John L. Blinn,
carriage and machine smiths. Across from Miller's Livery Stable,
and on Bois d'Arc, was the carriage and wagon shop of W. A.
Hamilton. Farther up Bois d'Arc was the office of Dr. W. H.
Westfall. Across Congress Avenue from Sampson and Henricks
was A. Bahn's, who specialized in gold and silver ware and jewelry
repair. Next door to Sampson and Henricks was Mrs. M. A.
Freeman Ladies' Goods, and next to that was the office of J. H.
Herndon, auction, commission, and forwarding agent. He also
sold furniture and buggies. Near Herndon's store was the South-
ern Shaving, Bathing, and Hair Dressing Saloon. At the north-
west corner of Congress Avenue at Pecan Street was the Swisher
House, built about 1854. Throughout 1860 the hotel was operated
by E. M. Smith as Smith's Hotel. In 1861 the hotel became Cook's
Hotel, operated by A. H. Cook and A. T. Logan. Behind Cook's
Hotel on Pecan Street was the livery stable of Edward Fannin and
Aaron Burleson.
On the southwest corner of Congress at Pecan was Hancock's
Corner, George Hancock's Grocery and Dry Goods. Hancock was
a strong supporter of Sam Houston and the Union. In 186o he
planted a flagpole in front of his store and floated a United
States flag there until he was forced to take the flag down and re-
place it with a Confederate banner after the assault on Fort
Sumter. The first United States flag to fly in Austin after the war
was raised on the same flagpole in 1865.18 Behind Hancock's store,
on Pecan Street, was a two-story brick building owned by Hancock
which was used for military meetings and public events. Near by
was B. C. Nett and Company which sold agricultural implements.
Opposite Hancock's was the Ziller Building, constructed in 1854.
Sampson and Henricks had occupied the building, which in
1861 housed George and Varser's, a dry goods store. Other build-
ings and businesses on Pecan Street included: the post office;
John L. Buaas's Hall and grocery and provision store; W.
Ohrndorf's fruit store; Baker and Smyth's, dealers in drugs, paints,
and books; Thomas Freeman and Company dry goods and hard-
ware store; W. W. Bridgers' Photographic Gallery, advertising
lsAlexander W. Terrell, "The City of Austin from 1839 to 1865," Southwestern
Historical Quarterly, XIV, 121.433
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960, periodical, 1960; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101186/m1/539/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.