Looking back
The initial 23 acres of what became Pease Park were donated to the city of Austin by former Texas Gov. Elisha Pease and his wife, Lucadia, to be used as the city’s first public park.
Today, the park spans 84 acres in a series of connected green spaces running along Lamar Boulevard from West 15th to West 31st streets.
In 2008, the Pease Park Conservancy was formed. The conservancy, in partnership with Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department, works to restore, enhance and maintain the public green space.
Kingsbury Commons within Pease District Park—which includes an interactive water feature, children’s treehouse, nature play area and basketball court—is maintained and operated by Pease Park Conservancy.
What about the troll?
Danish artist Thomas Dambo created Malin’s Fountain, a troll sculpture located near Kingsbury Commons in Pease Park, in March 2024.
The renowned artist has built more than 100 trolls around the world, with Malin being his 129th.
Malin is a female troll holding a bowl. Dambo said she reminds us that we should share water and resources with the animals that live here with us. More than 80% of Malin’s Fountain is made from recycled, repurposed or found materials, according to the conservancy website.
Looking ahead
The park’s 150th anniversary has spurred a new initiative led by Pease Park Conservancy with support from a city Heritage Preservation Grant and in collaboration with Black Austin Tours and Art Is Cool.
Over the past eight months, researchers have studied the lives of individuals enslaved by Pease before emancipation and his later donation of the land.
Beginning this fall, Pease Park history tours will be held twice monthly, highlighting these stories while examining the broader history of slavery, segregation and exclusion in Austin and across the nation.
