Wheatville

Wheatville was founded in 1869 by freedman James Wheat, who first came to the area with his family from Arkansas in 1867. It is the first Black community associated with Austin after Civil War and emancipation. Wheat’s grew corn in the plot of land that is now 2409 San Gabriel Street and became Wheatville’s first landowner. The community was established along Shoal Creek and was located between West 24h and 26th streets and Rio Grande Street. Residents of the freedom community had various jobs, such as construction workers, merchants, domestic workers, and blacksmiths. Wheatville remained largely rural and removed from the city of Austin until the twentieth century.

The Franzetti building at 2402 San Gabriel Street was the heart of the Wheatville community and was built by freedman and carpenter George Franklin in 1869. The two-story stone structure formerly housed a grocery store among other businesses and it also served as an early church. This is the only building that remains that was part of the community and was designated a City of Austin Local Historic Landmark in 1977. Today, the building houses a restaurant and the surrounding neighborhood is entirely made out of apartments, condos, and student housing.

Reverend Jacob Fontaine, a prominent Baptist minister, settled in Wheatville in the late 1860s. He helped found the New Hope Baptist Church in 1889 and was instrumental in establishing the St. John Regular Missionary Baptist Association. New Hope Baptist would move to another part of Wheatville a few years later. Fontaine also published one of the first African American newspapers in Texas, the Gold Dollar. In 1904 the Pilgrim Home Baptist Church organized in the community.

The Wheatville community had established an informal school in 1876, which was attended by 66 students. The Travis County Court designated surplus building funds from its sixth district so they would be able to build free public schools for African American in 1877—one of those schools was in Wheatville. The Wheatville school opened in 1881. Prominent Black Austin educator, W.H. Passon served on the school staff and would later become its principal. In 1896 the school had enrolled 60 students and in 1904 there were 97 students in attendance.

At its peak around the turn of the century, Wheatville had 300 residents. The community remained relatively isolated until the white population decided to expand west for the varied landscape and the better drainage the area could afford. As land values in the area increased the city started passing restrictions on building quality and raising livestock within city limits. Tillotson College, Huston College and a high school were high determinants for Black residents to leave Wheatville and into East Austin since they preferred a shorter commute across town.

A 1913 social survey reported that the accumulation of garbage and waste in the streets of Wheatville were the effects of lack of city sanitation service on the community. The report also noted that city garbage wagons often dumped their loads into the streets and alleyways of the community before getting to the dumpsite. Even through these hardships, Black residents remained and 177 students were still enrolled at the Wheatville school in 1914. However, after the 1928 city of Austin plan to place public facilities for Black Americans such as schools, recreation facilities and health clinics into East Austin the majority of families chose to relocate. As the plan stated that they wanted to draw Black inhabitants from western Austin into the eastside.

The Wheatville school closed in 1932 and the community virtually vanished by the mid-1930s. The Wheatsville Food Co-op, founded in 1976, was named in memory of the community.

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.