Pease Park Conservancy celebrated the Sesquicentennial of Pease Park on Monday, August 25th, at the Tudor Cottage at Pease Park. On that day, 150 years ago, the initial 23 acres of land that would become Pease Park were donated to the City by former Texas Governor Elisha Pease and his wife, Lucadia, to be used as a public park.
At the event, a City Proclamation was announced in celebration of this milestone anniversary for the beloved Pease Park. Council members Marc Duchen (D-10), Mike Siegel (D-7), and Ryan Alter (D-5), as well as Representative Gina Hinojosa, all spoke about the importance of the park and urban green spaces. Pease Park Conservancy Founder Richard Craig was in attendance, as well as Pease Park current and former Board Members, Pease Park Conservancy staff members, Shoal Creek Conservancy staff members, and representatives from the Parks and Recreation Department, including Christine Chute Canul and Elizabeth Barnes.
The presentation and event speakers were followed by music and refreshments, including Amy’s Ice Cream and root beer, reminiscent of the “ice cream sodas” first invented in 1874, the year before the gift of the land to the city.
This 150-year milestone has also been the impetus for a significant project initiated by Pease Park Conservancy, supported by a City of Austin Heritage Preservation Grant and in partnership with Black Austin Tours and Art Is Cool. This project has included eight months of research into the people whom Governor Elisha Pease enslaved before emancipation and the donation of his land.
Pease Park History Tours will be offered twice a month starting this fall to share stories and provide insight into daily life, as well as explore the history of slavery, segregation, and exclusion that occurred in Austin and across the United States at that time.
Pease Park Conservancy was formed in 2008 and celebrates the diverse ecology and history that make Austin’s first public park valuable and unique. In partnership with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, the Conservancy works to restore, enhance, and maintain this 84-acre public green space for the sustainable use and enjoyment of all.
Spanning 84 acres, owned by the City of Austin, Pease Park is a series of interconnected green spaces that run along Lamar Boulevard from West 15th to West 31st Streets, offering residents and visitors alike an intimate yet sprawling natural amenity. Kingsbury Commons within Pease District Park is maintained, operated, and programmed by Pease Park Conservancy.
