South Side

The South Side freedom community was developed in the southern part of Austin between East and West Bouldin Creeks. The area formed around the former Bouldin Plantation near South Congress Avenue, just south of the Colorado River. It is roughly defined by Monroe Street and the Texas School for the Deaf to the north; Oltorf Street marks its southern boundary. It was formerly known as Brackenridge, after the prominent landholder. The community would persist even through the 1928 master plan which pressured African Americans to move into East Austin.

This community also witnessed the foundation of significant Black churches, including Good Will Baptist Church, St. Annie A.M.E. Church, and Friendly Will Baptist Church. 

Goodwill Baptist Church, situated at 1700 Newton Street, showcases Gothic Revival-style influences and bears a cornerstone indicating its founding in 1903, with a reconstruction in 1941.

St. Annie AME Church, located at 1711 Newton Street, has a rich history dating back to the early twentieth century when it initially gathered in a house on West Annie Street. The existing church building's cornerstone was laid in 1915, with a parsonage constructed behind it in 1944. Currently, the church faces a bidding war between a potential buyer seeking historic designation and a developer planning redevelopment.

Friendly Will Baptist Church, positioned at 414 W. Johanna Street, is another historic church in the area, constructed in the early 1900s. The modest wood-framed structure appears to have been converted into a residence.

Noteworthy residences within the neighborhood include the Willie Wells House at 1705 Newton Street, once home to the National Baseball League player Willie Wells. This small board-and-batten home, dating back to the late nineteenth century, is designated a City of Austin Local Historic Landmark. Another significant residence is the Robert S. Stanley House, constructed in 1895 by African American stonemason Robert S. Stanley. This front-gabled stone house, distinguished by its raised basement and rusticated stonemasonry, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Information provided by the African-American Settlement Survey Travis County, Texas prepared by prepared by Hicks & Company Elizabeth Porterfield, MSHP for Travis County Historical Commission.

This information was supplemented by archivist at the University of North Texas, Michelle Mears, from her book And Grace Will Lead Me Home African American Freedmen Communities of Austin, Texas, 1865-1928.

We recognize that this research is ongoing, drawing extensively from historical documents, archives, and oral histories passed down through generations.

Given the evolving nature of information, it is important to note that details may change. And while inaccuracies may arise, we actively strive to update our records as we acquire new knowledge.