The End of Austin

an exploration of urban identity in the middle of Texas

Capital Improvements, 1984

TEOA is very pleased to publish Jeff Meikle’s introduction to Mark Goodman’s Capital Improvements. Written in 1984-85 on a Kaypro 2 computer and then filed away for almost thirty years, this wonderfully evocative essay captures a great deal about Austin in the 1980s that remains true. 

Meikle Capital Improvements 01

Meikle Capital Improvements 02

Meikle Capital Improvements 03

Meikle Capital Improvements 04

Meikle Capital Improvements 05

Meikle Capital Improvements 06

Meikle Capital Improvements 07

Meikle Capital Improvements 08

Meikle Capital Improvements 09

Meikle Capital Improvements 10

Meikle Capital Improvements 11

Jeffrey L. Meikle is the Stiles Professor in American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Meikle’s research interests as a cultural historian include industrial design and technology, visual representation in popular print media, and alternative cultures from 1950 to the present.  His books include Twentieth Century Limited: Industrial Design in America, 1925-1939; American Plastic: A Cultural History; and Design in the USA. 

One comment on “Capital Improvements, 1984

  1. Pingback: Announcement: Issue 4 of The End of Austin Now Available « AMS :: ATX

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