Jim Duncan, a retired city planner, has written more than 600 short histories of Austin businesses. We introduced him and this series, “Jim Duncan’s Austin,” on July 6. This week, we adapt two of his histories and add supplemental material on Austin castles from a previous story of mine. — Michael Barnes
1869: Texas Military Institute/Castle Hill
On a hill just west of downtown Austin is the oldest educational building still standing in Texas.
Constructed in 1869, the castle-like three-story structure initially housed the Texas Military Institute. Original plans called for an enclosed square with towers at each corner, but only two of the towers were built, and one of those was later removed.
TMI occupied the site until 1879, when the state created Texas A&M as a military-style school and hired away its entire faculty. (Bevo was not the only thing the Aggies stole.)…