Photograph of three women and five children pose for a photo. One boy wears a Halloween mask he likely made himself. Another mischevious boy lands a kick to another boy's hip. The Pan American Recreation Center was opened in June 1942 as the first Latin American Recreation Center in Austin and run under the auspices of the Federated Latin American Club and directed by the Austin Recreation Department. The name "Pan American Recreation Center" was chosen by the executive committee during a center naming contest. On September 7, 1956, a new Pan American Recreation Center was formally dedicated at 2100 East 3rd Street, just west of the old location and where it currently exists today. The building adjoins Zavala School and was built at a cost of $155,261. The Hillside Theater was later built and completed in June 1958.

Photograph of rear exterior of the Austin Athletic Club at Shoal Creek by House Park. Visible are: a tennis court; benches for watching matches; two workers changing out screens on the second floor windows. The first organized recreation center in Austin was the privately owned Austin Athletic Club, built in 1923, by William T. Caswell. In 1931. Mr. Caswell sold the club to the City of Austin for "a small remuneration". The name of the center was officially changed to the Austin Recreation Center in 1970. After substantial damage, due to the Memorial Day flood of 1981 that center was closed after the existing center was built and opened in 1986.