Bluebonnet Tourist Camp
Also known as: Blue Bonnet Court
Why it's listed
Built in 1929 on Guadalupe Street in Austin's Hyde Park area, this tourist camp consists of two detached frame buildings arranged around an open courtyard. Together they hold 11 one-room units separated by covered spaces for parking cars. The buildings have low-pitched, front-gabled roofs, and their street-facing walls are fronted with petrified rock, a popular local material of the late 1920s and 1930s. Beth and Joseph Lucas hired Brydson Lumber Co. to build the camphouses and garages for $2,500, and the couple lived on site and ran the business until 1937. The next owners renamed it Blue Bonnet Court around 1939. The camp served motorists on the main route north of Austin, including visitors drawn to lakes created by Depression-era public works. It is described as the only surviving Austin tourist facility built before 1930. Although it has deteriorated since conversion to apartments, it retains a high degree of historic integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a unique example of its property type in Hyde Park and the only surviving Austin tourist camp built before 1930. It served travelers on the main route north of Austin during a period of growing tourism to Central Texas lakes. It keeps a high degree of historic integrity despite deterioration after conversion to apartments.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90001188, listed August 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4407 Guadalupe St., Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | August 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001188 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929 |
| Architect / builder | Brydson Lumber Co. |
| Architectural style | Vernacular (tourist camp) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as multiple dwellings (apartments); the form notes deterioration since conversion but retained historic fabric. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.31025, -97.73313 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90001188.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4928910
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.