Buford Tower

Historic Site
3stars (3.00)1
N/A
1931-1974
N/A
No
Yes
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
200 W. Cesar Chavez Street
Austin
Travis

This small six story tower has graced the north shore of Town Lake for many years, however, not many people, including long-time Austin residents can tell you what purpose it served. These days the tower sports a carillon that rings out tunes several times a day. Was it a church steeple?

Actually, the building was erected in 1930 to provide the Austin Fire Department with a "high rise" building on which to train. As the city grew in size it became impractical to train in the center of town. In 1974 the fire department built a new fire drill tower, incidentally also six stories tall, on Pleasant Valley Road in southeast Austin.

In 1978 Mrs. Effie R. Kitchens, whose late husband built the tower donated $30,000 towards a project to restore the decaying structure and add its distinctive carillon. In keeping with its Fire Department roots, the structure was named for Captain James L. Buford, an Austin fireman who died in the line of duty on June 17, 1972 while attempting to rescue a 15-year old boy during a Shoal Creek flood. The carillon was called the Kitchen Memorial Chimes.

Sources:
AFD History

Photos
Buford Tower
A look down Cesar Chavez Street looking west. It appears to tower alone, which it probably did in 1930. Just south of the tower is Town Lake. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Buford Tower 2
A closer view. Not shown is the huge CSC headquarters building across the street the dominates the scene these days. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Recommended Item
Recommended Item Austin Then and Now
William Dylan Powell
List Price: $22.95 Your price: $22.42 Buy Now
Extensively revised, redesigned, Austin Then and Now® puts archive and contemporary photographs of the same landmark side-by-side to showcase the city's pastAustin is known for its impressive streets and period architecture, particularly the imposing State Capitol and the view down Congress Avenue. It offers a blend of outstanding natural attractions including Barton Springs and Town Lake, as well as international venues such as the stunning new Circuit of the Americas, the home of the U.S. Grand Prix. From its beginnings as a sleepy village to its current position as the Texas state capital, Austin has witnessed incredible growth. This captivating chronicle of a fascinating city matches historic images with specially commissioned views of the same scenes as they appear today. Locations include Driskill Hotel, Sixth Street, O. Henry Museum, Pierre Bremond House, Paramount Theatre, Millet Opera House, Texas Capitol, St. Mary's Cathedral, Lundberg Bakery, Old Travis County Courthouse, Governor's Mansion, Old Land Office, Moonlight Towers, Custer House, University of Texas Tower, Pemberton Heights, Texas State Hospital, Barton Springs, and Circuit of the Americas.