History of the Madrone Canyon

The Madrone Canyon is nestled between the Laura Bush Library and the TRI office complex.This very short overview provides some insight into the history of the land.

21st Century History

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) managed property and then sold the property to TRI. TRI built an office building on the eastern portion of the hilltop. The land that includes the library building and grounds, and the Madrone Canyon and Trail was donated in 2005 by TRI and the trail officially opened in 2009 when the library was completed. The Buena Vista Foundation provided some funds, as did the Goodell Family. 




The Laura Bush Library groundbreaking was in 2008 and the library opened in 2009 with Mary Jo Finch serving as the first director. Autumn Solomon is currently the library director, bringing a love of the outdoors and much trail building experience.

 The trail itself was started on March 27, 2010 when Carl Fabre (a member of the Capital Area Master Naturalist - CAMN) started working on the trail as a volunteer with other members of the Central Texas Trail Tamers and 18 other volunteers. Carl returned later in 2010 and in 2011 to refine, widen, and groom the trail and he continues to do so. The Friends of Westbank Library began supporting the trail in 2012 when Rikki McGee joined the board support educational efforts. Trail work is an ongoing process and volunteers are always welcome. 




20th Century History

During the 1950s - 1960s Cold War there was a Nike-Hercules missile base in Austin, built in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. A Strategic Air Command (SAC) operated by the U.S. Army was constituted with B-52 bombers to protect Austin and its airports. Austin was considered a high priority target during the cold war since the City had two airports at that time. One NIKE Site was located on the Hill just east of the intersection of Cuernavaca drive. There was a second Nike base off Bee Cave Road west of where Loop 360 is now. At one time there was a sign indicating the location of the NIKE site. One benefit of the site locally was the introduction of an integrated fire control area. Folks who lived in the area at this time recall having to block their windows at night to keep the area dark from potential flyovers by enemy planes.




After the NIKE site was shut down the property was given to the University of Texas System and the Astrological Society was given custody of one of the large concrete missile pads, as well as a small adjacent former guardhouse that provided heat and power. In return, the Society agreed to provide telescopes and members to conduct occasional observation sessions for U.T. undergraduate astronomy classes.

In the mid-century Bee Caves Road was curvy and known as a dangerous roadway because of its winding route and the lack of streetlights. You can see the original roadbed when you walk the canyon and imagine what it must have been to drive through this canyon.

In August 1971 the U.T. Astronomy Department gave the Society permission to move the observation site to the U.T. Bee Caves Research Center, a few miles southwest of Austin on Bee Caves Road. The site was informally referred to as the "NIKE site" due to its original function.




Currently there is a firing range on the old site, where National Guard members some to fulfill their practice shooting.




Early and Pre-20th Century

TBA

Compiled by Carl Fabre and Rikki McGee