Historic General Land Office Photographs

General Land Office on hilltop, ca. 1870-1874.
(SPB 200.11)

West facade of General Land Office with photo studio on the north end of the building, ca. 1871-1874.
(TSLA #1/150-12)

General Land Office with Photo Lab 1871-1874
North view of the General Land Office and photographic studio, ca. 1871-1874.
(TSLA #1/103-75)

General Land Office Employees 1876
Land Office employees outside the south entrance, ca. 1876.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 13289)

General Land Office, ca. 1879.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 05196)

O.Henry with Group 1880s.
Drafting Room on the second floor. O. Henry is pictured in the back row, third from the right, ca. late 1880s.
(TSLA 1962/274-4)

In 1885, William Sydney Porter (O. Henry, 2nd from left) joined the Hill City Quartette, a dapper group of young men who played at parties and church events, and sang at the windows of the young ladies of their set.
Courtesy Austin History Center, Austin Public Library (CO3374)

General Land Office Draftsmen in the office in 1890s.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 13290)

Crowded second floor General Land Office drafting room, ca. 1890.
Courtesy Austin History Center (AHC L1300, PICA 13286)

Land Office employee photo, on the west entrance steps, ca. 1893.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 13287)

Group photo of General Land Office employees on west steps of building, March 2, 1907.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 13290)

The General Land Office's most famous draftsman William Sydney Porter, who would later enjoy success as the famed short story writer O. Henry, carefully guarded his privacy. The only interview he ever gave was in 1909, when this photo was taken. Even then, he gave only a sketchy biography that omitted his prison experience. O. Henry died from cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes and a greatly enlarged heart in 1910. He was not yet forty eight years old.
Courtesy Center for American History, Prints and Photographs Collection (CN 01058)

General Land Office Interior and Workers 1913.
Drafting Room on the second floor. Notice the additional storage space to the right, on an elevated mezzanine, ca. 1913.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 13293)

Chief Clerk's Office, 2nd floor, January 15, 1913.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 13295)

General Land Office with Awnings. Date unknown.
Courtesy Austin History Center (PICA 05213)

General Land Office attic, ca. 1920s.
Courtesy Austin History Center (CO 9583)

O. Henry's drafting table on display at the Daughters of the Republic O. Henry exhibit, ca. 1950s.
Courtesy Austin History Center, Neal Douglass Collection.

General Land Office Exhibit Room 1961.
Photo of collections in display cases kept by the Daughters of the Republic Museum, ca. Oct. 1961.
This room is currently home to the Welcome Center of the Capitol Visitors Center.
(HABS #TX 397-20)