West Line Historic District

West Line Historic District is a historic neighborhood in central Austin spanning roughly 90 blocks between Baylor Street, Fifth Street, Thirteenth Street, and Texas State Highway Loop 1. The area contains twenty-five subdivisions arranged in an irregular street pattern that follows the natural hilly terrain.

The district developed between 1871 and 1948, with the 1887 construction of the West Sixth Street Bridge over Shoal Creek spurring residential growth outward from downtown. This bridge made it easier for people to build homes and settle in the area beyond the city center.

The neighborhood displays Victorian and early 20th-century homes in Craftsman and Classical Revival styles that shape its streetscape. Walking through, you notice how these different building types reflect the tastes and living preferences of people across multiple generations.

The hilly terrain with varying elevations makes walking through the neighborhood physically varied. A walking tour at an easy pace is the best way to explore since the irregular street layout rewards going slowly to notice the different buildings and styles.

The A. J. Jernigan House, known locally as Las Ventanas, showcases regional building traditions through its distinctive window treatments and design. This house and similar properties demonstrate how builders adapted their designs to Texas climate and the hilly landscape.

Location: Austin

Architectural style: Victorian architecture

Address: Roughly bounded by Baylor Street, W. Fifth & Sixth Streets, Mopac Expressway (Loop 1), and Twelfth and Thirteenth Street

GPS coordinates: 30.26361,-97.77667

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:54