Fannie Davis Gazebo, Auditorium Shores, Austin, Texas
The 1969 Town Lake Gazebo was the first public structure built in the effort to beautify the south shore of Town Lake (now Lady Bird Lake), which was created after the construction of Longhorn Dam on the Colorado River in 1960. The Austin Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), established in the 1950s for women working in the construction industry, spearheaded and raised funds for the project. Thirty-five visionary women in Austin saw the possibility of putting something on the shores for all to enjoy and dedicate it to the construction industry.
Inspired by the then First Lady of the United States Lady Bird Johnson, a national leader in environmental beautification and later the honorary co-chair of the Town Lake Beautification Committee, the Austin chapter began planning and raising money for the structure in 1965. Almost 100 contractors and suppliers enthusiastically supported the gazebo project with donations of materials and labor. The gazebo was dedicated in June 1970, and then in 1984, the structure was named for Fannie Davis, a founding member of the Austin chapter of NAWIC.
The gazebo was designed by architect J. Sterry Nill to resemble an inverted morning glory flower. The design reflects the diverse architectural trends of the 1960s, and playfully references Frank Lloyd Wright's geometric experimentation and combination of organic material with modern forms and the rustic park architecture found in central Texas.
Source: City of Austin & Austin Parks and Recreation dedication plaque
Fannie Davis Gazebo, Auditorium Shores, Austin, Texas
The 1969 Town Lake Gazebo was the first public structure built in the effort to beautify the south shore of Town Lake (now Lady Bird Lake), which was created after the construction of Longhorn Dam on the Colorado River in 1960. The Austin Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), established in the 1950s for women working in the construction industry, spearheaded and raised funds for the project. Thirty-five visionary women in Austin saw the possibility of putting something on the shores for all to enjoy and dedicate it to the construction industry.
Inspired by the then First Lady of the United States Lady Bird Johnson, a national leader in environmental beautification and later the honorary co-chair of the Town Lake Beautification Committee, the Austin chapter began planning and raising money for the structure in 1965. Almost 100 contractors and suppliers enthusiastically supported the gazebo project with donations of materials and labor. The gazebo was dedicated in June 1970, and then in 1984, the structure was named for Fannie Davis, a founding member of the Austin chapter of NAWIC.
The gazebo was designed by architect J. Sterry Nill to resemble an inverted morning glory flower. The design reflects the diverse architectural trends of the 1960s, and playfully references Frank Lloyd Wright's geometric experimentation and combination of organic material with modern forms and the rustic park architecture found in central Texas.
Source: City of Austin & Austin Parks and Recreation dedication plaque