Judges Hill History

Judges’ Hill

Judges Hill One of the oldest neighborhoods in Austin, located at the northwest corner of the original city boundary, has come to be known as Judges’ Hill as a result of the many judges and lawyers who have lived in the area since the city’s founding. The Austin Bar Association purchased Hilgers House within the boundaries of Judges’ Hill as its new headquarters in 2019.

It is appropriate, therefore, for the association to explore some of the history of the neighborhood. We are greatly aided in that effort by a prior research paper, Judges’ Hill District History, compiled by Phoebe Allen on the history, houses, and luminaries of Judges’ Hill. In connection with her paper, Ms. Allen has provided us with a 30-minute video, Ghosts of Judges’ Hill, which focuses on specific houses of historical note, many of which are no longer standing. This video is accompanied by an outline, Ghosts of Judges’ Hill.

Finally, we have recorded interviews with researcher Phoebe Allen and Judges’ Hill resident Megan Meisenbach, who has been active in the Judges’ Hill Neighborhood Association. Both interviews provide fascinating bits of information about the neighborhood. We hope you enjoy this bit of Austin history.

The boundaries of the Judges’ Hill neighborhood are Lamar Boulevard on the west, West Avenue on the east, 15th Street on the south, and MLK Boulevard (formerly 19th Street) on the north.