Hancock Recreation Center
historical marker
The Hancock Recreation Center in Austin, Travis County, Texas, marks a significant historical location. The golf course on this site was established in 1899 by Lewis Hancock, Jr., who served as Austin's Mayor from 1895 to 1897. Members incorporated the Austin Golf Club in 1900. In 1906, the Austin Golf Club hosted Texas' first pay-for-play golf tournament. This event helped establish Austin as a notable golf city. The building now known as the Hancock Recreation Center was originally constructed in 1934 as the Austin Country Club Clubhouse. Prominent architect Charles H. Page, Jr. designed the clubhouse, utilizing materials salvaged from the demolition of the University of Texas Old Main Building. In 1946, the Austin Country Club sold the property to the City of Austin. The building officially became one of Austin's first recreation centers in 1951. The Texas Historical Commission erected a historical marker here in 2014. This site reflects Austin's early engagement with golf and its subsequent development of public recreational spaces.