This compilation of home movies taken by Austinite Ramon Galindo begins in 1957 and spans close to a decade. The bulk of the reel is comprised of Mr. Galindo's documentation of landmarks, and future landmarks under construction, in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Footage of particular note includes Austin's Hancock Opera House (no longer standing), construction of San Antonio's Hemisfair Park and Tower of the Americas, and a glass elevator ascending the exterior wall of Houston's Warwick Hotel. Also captured are family gatherings, air shows, car and boat races, a magic show or two, an Easter pageant, and a family outing to an event that included a pioneer set-up, a petting zoo, and a visit with Austin's television personality Packer Jack.
The 1968 Hemisfair was a World’s Fair held in San Antonio to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the city’s founding. It was the first World’s Fair to be held in the southwest, and its theme was “Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas.” From April 6th to October 6th, 1968, the Hemisfair welcomed over 6 million visitors. Famous attendees included Bob Hope, Louis Armstrong, Princess Grace of Monaco, President Johnson and his family, and Texas Governor John Connally. There were many attractions including exhibits, a monorail, a lagoon, and a variety of performances. Perhaps the most controversial was a show called the “Flying Indians of Papantla,” during which four men tied to ropes revolved down a 114-foot pole. The complaints stemmed from a mock sacrifice at the beginning of the show, which involved a chicken and a topless woman. This was swiftly edited out of the show.
The popular River Walk was extended in order to meet the site of the fair, and many new buildings were constructed in the downtown area to accommodate exhibitions from over thirty countries and fifteen organizations. Some of these buildings remain, most notably the Tower of the Americas, which was the main symbol of the fair. The area is now known as HemisFair Park.
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