Our Westlake

        Emmett Shelton, Sr.  tells of stories of acquiring the land for Westlake Drive. Anticipating the renovation of the dam, Emmett bought the Stroder Tract at $10 an acre which he thought included the dam site. They financed the sale with family diamonds as collateral. Emmett worked with the City of Austin in a colorful twist of land deals Emmett made for the City to secure the adjacent land....

          Emmett Shelton, Sr. original developer of Westlake Hills recalls a number of first-hand stories about the early land deals of the western area of Westlake Hills, he referred to as the "Pennisula". Emmett tells of incidents with interesting characters like Rob Roy and other initial land deals. Emmett made a deal in 1929 to buy 500 acres of land from the Roy sisters for $4 an acr...

Chapter 1 - Episode 1 - Early Land Grants in Westlake - 200 years of investment opportunities - as told by Emmett Shelton Sr.  Original Developer of Westlake Hills 1905-2000 / Recorded 1976 (Updated Sound 1/1/2024) For the past 200 years, Westlake has been the land of investment opportunity and Emmett can tell you all about it. Emmett recalls the early history of investments in the land of Westlak...

Dec. 7 -- 83 years after Pearl Harbor, we remember.  Our World was rocked by unspeakable act of national terrorism -- Japan's attack on US ground, Pearl Harbor, in 1941 - And So Was Austin !           Emmett Shelton Sr. recalls the day Pearl Harbor rocked his family - and events in Austin afterwards.           Emmett had been working with LBJ on his senatorial race. He had a law practice with...

Emmett Shelton Sr. tells of his son Emmett Jr. -- A young Marine Rifleman in the Frozen Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. Roughly, 73 years ago today.! The temperatures were below zero. 15,000 Allied troops were attacked by 120,000 Chinese. By Late December, the remaining Forces were evacuated by a 75 mile march out. An estimated 100,000 civilian evacuees left with the Forces. In that month,...

With the 2023 Wars in Israel and Ukraine, and Veterans Day, it brings to mind stories of our local Westlake heroes. Emmett Shelton Sr. knew four, personally. Some of their stories have been told on separate OUR WESTLAKE Episodes but their Valor deserves a focus. Unlike Austin High Football stars like Austin's Overton Gang, these heroes were regular Westlake guys who learned how to shoot befor...

Emmett Shelton Sr. tells memories of early banking in Austin, in particular Austin Ntl. Bank and its predecessor First Ntl. Bank of Austin -- Roughly 100  years ago.  In the early 1900s, Emmett's father, John E. Shelton, partnered with AO Sambo and began his law firm in an office on the second floor above the Austin Ntl. Bank on the east side of 5th and Congress. As a young child, Emmett visi...

In Part 2, Emmett Shelton Sr tells memories of working with the Austin National Bank to develop Westlake Hills.  One of Emmett's favorite tales is his work buying the land for the Low Water Bridge in 1937 to provide Westlakers access to the City of Austin.  In 1920, Emmett got his first account at ANB to finance a trip to the first Boy Scout Jamboree in England.   In 1924, when our rich aunt...

Emmett Shelton Sr. tells of his experiences in state and local politics Getting bonds and acquiring the land for the bridge to WLH and then 40 yeas later named for him. Lobbyist for a state trade association.  Emmett organized the "Good Government League" to change the direction of the Austin city council and made Frank Erwin (anti-union) as chair.  Emmett worked in the background of sta...

Emmett Shelton Sr. tells of his first-hand personal experiences as an Insider with state and local politics. His earliest experiences were with Governor and Mrs. Ferguson. Next, tale is set when FDR as president and the Work Progress Administration Relief Organization was created to build roads and bridges (2k employees in Travis Co). Emmett got on the committee to run the local Relief work and bu...

Lost Tapes - A 1994 interview by Linsey Lane At the age of 89, Emmett Shelton Sr. reflects on the strength of family love through the generations of his family and in his law practice. He tells some of his favorite stories, including Hattie, Rob Roy and land development -- always with just a few new details. And a special guest appearance by Joyce. Emmett has an interesting perspective in answerin...

We Just Found More Lost Tapes!! Emmett Shelton, Sr. recorded this 1994 interview about Developing Westlake Hills. (It's marked Kimmell WLH 94). Emmett shares memories of his work over the previous 50 years. He discusses his views of the need for public parkland in Westlake - he felt each family should have their own parkland.  Emmett tells about bringing the newer Westlake children to the lit...

We Just Found More Lost Tapes!! Emmett Shelton, Sr. recorded his 1994 interview about Developing Westlake Hills. (It's marked Kimmell WLH 94). Emmett shares memories of early work with banks on appraisals, work with planners and issues like drainage and erosion control on hill country developments. He tells of a project his son, Jeffery Dochen, took on, the Forests of Westlake. And, then Emme...

Emmett Shelton Sr. tells us about his uncle, a founding father of Dripping Springs, Dr. E.P. Shelton.  Emmett starts off with the aftermath of the Hanging of Uncle Sam and the disappearance of Great Grandpa Shelton. Great Grandma was left with 4 children in 1870s Central Texas. She became a school teacher.   Uncle Ed always wanted to be a doctor. In the summer of 1885, he and his brother John E. p...

Emmett Shelton, Sr. tells stories of the Greer-side of the family out in Dripping Springs -- dating back to a "plantation" in Navasota before the Civil War.  Emmett recounts his earliest memory of visiting Great GrandMa Greer prior to her death.  After a long life, with few modern conveniences  - Great Grandma was run over by a train!! GrandPa Greer (William Henry Greer) served in the Ci...

Emmett Shelton Sr. proclaims one of his greatest inspirations was the birth of Jennifer Shelton, Emmett's middle-son's, Gil's daughter.  What a blessing! Sending love thru Gil and Jennifer's voices! Everyday love. For maps and other info check out our Facebook page: Our Westlake Stories told by Emmett Shelton / compiled and submitted by Cynthia Shelton.

Emmett Shelton Sr. shares an intimate portrait of his second wife and business partner, Joyce Shelton, his greatest inspiration in his life.  They married in 1962 with a partnership that spanned 40 years. They worked hand-in-hand to envision a new community Westlake Hills. They wanted residential development of one-acre minimum lot size. They didn't sell houses, they sold land and dreams. She...

Emmett Shelton Sr. recorded this Americanism Assembly at Fulmore Jr. High in 1982. The speaker is South Austin native, and Fulmore graduate in 1920, John Henry Faulk. Most of the students knew him from his recurring appearances on the TV show "He-Haw" but they soon learned there was more to John Henry. John Henry focused his talk on the Declaration of Independence and how it ensures free...

Emmett Shelton Sr. records one of our family's proudest moments, Emmett Jr. was recognized in 1983 by the Ntl. Freedom Foundation for his Americanism Program in Austin Schools.  Recent National Surveys show Patriotism is in decline in 2023. How will Americans face our next National challenge? What is missing? Dating back to Terry's Ranger in the Civil War, Shelton men have been eager to...

Emmett Shelton Sr. tells stories of his second family, after marrying Joyce and her son Jeffery Dochen in 1962. The stories tell of working through many of the same issues other blended families face. Jeffery helped Emmett clear land, plan new subdivisions, build Westlake Hills and later took over for Emmett and Joyce as a major broker for people looking for that perfect piece of land in Our Westl...

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Emmett joined the Marine Corp and went overseas. He had three young sons at home. On return, He made up for his absence with a move to the "Big House on Caravan Circle - Our Westlake Wilderness". At the age of 70, Emmett Shelton Sr. tells a father's favorite memories of raising young men in Westlake Hills, roughly 100 years ago.  For maps and other in...

At the age of 70, Emmett Shelton Sr. tells a father's favorite memories of raising young boys, and their dogs, in Westlake Hills, roughly 100 years ago. For Emmett, every day was Father's Day! For maps and other info check out our Facebook page: Our Westlake Stories told by Emmett Shelton / compiled and submitted by Cynthia Shelton.

At the age of 70, Emmett Shelton Sr. tells a father's favorite memories of raising young boys in Westlake Hills, roughly 100 years ago. Stories include incidents with the boys and bus driver Della Edwards and the Bullian family. For Emmett, every day was Father's Day! For maps and other info check out our Facebook page: Our Westlake Stories told by Emmett Shelton / compiled and submitted...

Emmett was the youngest Eagle Scout in America just before this 12th birthday - he loved the challenge.  In 1920, Emmett was 15 and the First Intl. Boy Scout Jamboree in London was announced.  In this second episode, Emmett tells us more about the Jamboree activities, his visit to Flanders Field, and the long trip home -- All through a young scouts' eyes and mellowed with age.  For maps and o...

Emmett was the youngest Eagle Scout in America just before this 12th birthday - he loved the challenge.  In 1920, Emmett was 15 and the First Intl. Boy Scout Jamboree in London was announced.  In this first episode, Emmett tells us the efforts he and other Austin scouts took to get to go, the long boat trip over and the sights of London thru the young scouts' eyes.  1st World Scout Jamboree –...