Bastrop City Council is set to vote on a resolution that would establish a “South End District.”

The details

The area, which would be bounded by Chestnut Street, Water Street, Hwy. 95 and Gutierrez Street, aims to honor local Black heritage, according to city officials.

“Historically, the South End was a place of community, as most Black churches were situated in this area,” City Manager Sylvia Carrillo-Trevino said in a staff report.

She listed several initiatives the city and a collective of volunteers plan to accomplish following the creation of a South End District, including:
  • Working with the Texas Department of Transportation to create murals at the underpasses of College Street and Water Street
  • Adding monument signs and street signs that distinguish the entrance into the district
  • Commissioning iconic art pieces in the newly created park space on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
  • Assisting elderly residents with the repair and upkeep of their homes
  • Providing support for the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry
“The goal is not to create any overlay requirements for architecture, which would place an undue burden on the residents in the area,” Carrillo-Trevino said.


The Bastrop County African American Cultural Center and Freedom Colonies Museum, as well as the Kerr Community Center, are located within the South End District boundaries.

“The Kerr Center has anchored the district for some time, and most recently, the addition of the African-American Cultural Center and Freedom Colonies Museum,” Carrillo-Trevino said. “Both of these organizations have been instrumental in preserving the history of the county and the immediate area.”

Some background

The first of several town hall meetings that gauged public interest was held July 9 at Bastrop City Hall—an event featured local elders, families and community leaders, including Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris and Place 1 council member Perry Lowe.


Lowe, whom Harris asked to lead this effort, shared several key goals for the South End District, including:
  • Preservation
  • Cultural recognition
  • Education
  • Economic opportunity
  • Community healing
  • Pride
“The South End’s story deserves to be seen, heard and celebrated,” he said in July.

The outlook

If the South End District is established during a meeting Sept. 23, $5,000 or less is expected to be spent on upgraded street signs, according to city officials.

“Additional costs may include minimal costs to include grant matches,” Carrillo-Trevino said. “Items such as art can be funded via [the] Arts and Cultural Committee, grants or other methods.”