Uncovering History at 12th & Springdale: Preservation, Development, and the Future of Bethany Cemetery
Bethany Cemetery, located at 1300 Springdale Road, is a sacred landmark in East Austin. As the city's oldest known Black burial ground, it stands as a testament to generations of Black Austinites. Recently, ground surveys initiated by the City of Austin at the request of the Bethany Cemetery Association confirmed what many suspected: this revered site extends beyond its official property boundaries.
Surveys identified potential unmarked graves on neighboring land belonging to JJ&B Investments, LLC, located directly south of the cemetery line. It is believed these interments belong primarily to enslaved Black individuals whose final resting places went unrecorded.
Unexamined Lands and Paused Development
While initial survey efforts were prompted by the JJ&B Investment’s plan to develop “Twelfth & Springdale Residences,” the cemetery is bordered by two other developer-owned properties as well:
The wooded area (Christopher Investment Company): A four-acre wooded parcel behind Bethany Cemetery where additional undiscovered graves may reside.
The shopping strip (Eureka Holdings): Paved commercial property at the corner of East 12th Street and Springdale Road.
In the wooded area, the developer’s plans were scaled back to 79 homes due to neighborhood concerns over the sensitivity of the area. The dense brush, oaks, and elms that cover this nearly 4-acre parcel cover the Tannehill Branch Watershed—a delicate local ecosystem that serves as habitat, drainage, and a noise buffer. This motion predates the discovery of the unmarked graves, but this new revelation certainly contributes to the importance of the woods. Is the Western border of Bethany Cemetery adequate?
To the South, nearby small businesses on the Eureka Holdings lot have already felt the shift, vacating in anticipation of future archaeological work. Palomino Coffee, operating a second location nearby, has prepared to consolidate its operations if excavations extend under the paved lot.
To my knowledge, none of the displaced business owners question the historical, cultural, and emotional importance of Bethany Cemetery. However, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge their loss. It is not easy (and often times not feasible) to relocate one’s livelihood. I’ll have to write a follow-up blog when I learned what happened to each of them. I wish them well.
The Bethany Greenbelt and Local Memory
This area carries layers of history beyond the cemetery itself. Prior to the recent survey findings, the City of Austin bought property on Waldorf Avenue from the Flournoys, a prominent Black family who built dozens of neighborhood homes in the 1950s and ‘60s.
Austin Parks and Recreation planned to put the future trailhead of the "Bethany Greenbelt" here. The greenbelt would skirt behind the cemetery and connect Waldorf Avenue to Springdale Road. This decision was connected to the development plans of both Christopher Investment Group (the wooded area) and JJB&L Investments (the lots just south of Bethany Cemetary). The city would use the easements to create a walking trail behind the new developments. It would also, perhaps, make neighbors feel a little less sad on bulldozing day.
Apart from their environmental relevance, the woods have their own recent history. A large oak on the northeastern end was a hangout in the 2010s. Perhaps it had history before then too, but I wouldn’t know. Regardless, you’d sometimes hear the strums of an acoustic guitar or plucking of a banjo in the air, and you knew the source. The area has become dense and overgrown over the years, but recent construction of the Bethany Greenbelt trail rekindled memories for folks who have lived here a while. To my knowledge, the Bethany Greenbelt project is also on pause while Austin Parks and Recreations figures out how to proceed. Since the full radius of the burial ground is unknown, and because the city is doing what they can within the limits of their easements, it is unclear how the trail might pass through or around it.
A Moment to Reflect on What We Value
For now, historical preservation and environmental constraints have forced a pause on rapid redevelopment. This pause offers a moment for us to reflect on how we approach neighborhood planning. I have opinions. Here we go.
In our eagerness to pursue pure residential density, we often lose sight of what makes a neighborhood livable. I want to see East Austin develop as a village. As a shop owner, my staff and I are employed by our neighbors. The people who live nearby have immense influence over how we conduct business, and our storefront is a visual representation of the neighborhood’s culture. Owner-operated businesses like mine create spaces where people see the same faces again and again. We forge friendships and create community. We make neighborhoods walkable, and keep Austin’s money in Austin.
So I’m not too sad about the pause for a few reasons:
I was raised with a sense of reverence for the departed. I very much hope these great-great grandmothers and grandfathers of East Austin receive the final resting place they deserve, and I am thankful that Bethany Cemetery was able to uncover even more of its history. I know acknowledging enslaved ancestors is a small but important way to give them the respect they should have had when they were alive.
I don’t think Austin will notice when all of its small businesses have been purged, when the neighborhoods are stripped down to dull rows of McMansions and the occasional bar district. When people in cars are wait 5 light cycles at 12th and Springdale to get themselves to Target, I don’t think they will realize that it didn’t have to be that way. I do not believe it is possible to outpace the housing demand, but blind eagerness is driving us toward these negative outcomes. I very much respect organizations that are fighting for (residential) affordability, but I’m repeatedly disappointed when one by one, commercial and mixed-use parcels are made forever-residential with new 100% residential condo developments. It’s short sighted, and I hope to raise awareness.
I love the woods, and I’m glad that Austin Parks and Recreation is seeking ways for people to enjoy them. Hopefully Bethany Greenbelt still has a future, and maybe now that future will be more interwoven with the development of Bethany Cemetery.
What do you think?
How should we honor Bethany Cemetery?
How do we weigh natural preservation against growth?
How might we increase housing affordability without sacrificing culture?
*Note: I was inspired to write this article (and do a lot of Googling!) after much chit-chatting with neighbors this summer. We’ve been watching the changes around us, exchanging insights, and hoping for the best. If I’m missing an important detail, please let me know! I’m happy to update and correct this blog. Contact me
