The first of several town hall meetings to gauge public interest was held July 9 at Bastrop City Hall. The event featured local elders, families and community leaders, including Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris and Place 1 council member Perry Lowe.
“For those who grew up in Bastrop, the South End holds a special place in your heart,” Harris said in a social media post. “From grabbing a treat at the Dairy Cone to shopping at Little Long’s, or catching up with friends at The Bottoms—this area carries deep roots and rich history in our Black community.”
The South End is an area confined by Pecan Street, Pine Street, Hwy. 21 and Hwy. 71, according to city officials. The Bastrop County African American Cultural Center and Freedom Colonies Museum as well as the Kerr Community Center are located within these boundaries.
Long story short
Harris told Community Impact that the process of establishing a Bastrop African American Cultural District is still in its infancy.
“We don’t have a timeline on when that could happen,” he said. “It’s something that we have to continue gathering citizen input on in regard to what they want the boundaries to be. Then we can start to move forward with identifying this area.”
Lowe, whom Harris asked to lead this effort, listed a series of goals that a Bastrop African American Cultural District would accomplish, including:
- Preservation
- Cultural recognition
- Education
- Economic opportunity
- Community healing
- Pride
What we know
He called the energy, presence and ideas shared at Bastrop City Hall powerful. One of the many proposals was to revamp Fireman’s Park. The baseball field was the site for countless pickup games in the 1920s and 1930s. It can be rented out for league games and is also frequently utilized for community gatherings, according to city officials.
“We’re just getting started and we’re excited to move forward,” said Lowe, who grew up in the South End. “Our next meeting is on the horizon, and we invite everyone who attended to return, bring a friend and continue the work with us.”
The outlook
A date for the second town hall meeting has yet to be placed on the calendar, but event updates will be shared on Bastrop’s Facebook page. In the meantime, Lowe and Harris encourage residents to fill out a Steering Committee interest form. The Steering Committee will be vital in providing guidance, oversight and decision-making support throughout the process.
“Let’s keep building this together,” Lowe said. “The South End’s story deserves to be seen, heard and celebrated.”
