After an uphill battle for recognition, things are looking up for Bethany Cemetery, with a vote at this month’s Historic Landmark Commission meeting initiating the site’s historic zoning process.
The cemetery, founded in 1893 by and for Black Austinites, houses the graves of dozens of enslaved people later freed, Buffalo Soldiers and early Black settlers. Despite its rich history, the privately owned site has faced chronic underfunding, its grounds preserved solely through grassroots efforts of the nonprofit Bethany Cemetery Association.
Those efforts have hinged largely on the dedication of activist powerhouse Sue Spears, whose career spans decades of civic organizing on behalf of East Austinites in task forces at City Hall and as executive assistant to the Travis County Commissioners Court. As primary steward of Bethany Cemetery, Spears’ volunteer cleanup efforts, Juneteenth celebration events and educational partnerships with Austin ISD have kept the once-dilapidated site both physically and spiritually afloat.
In recent years, nearby development has exposed these preservation efforts to a wider audience, alongside opportunities to negotiate with new and well-funded stakeholders. While plans for a 592-unit apartment complex at neighboring 1300 Springdale Road initially sparked fears of encroachment, developer Heartwood Real Estate Group has now pledged a number of investments, including $50,000 to preservation and education efforts and a new and improved wrought iron fence.
The city of Austin is also stepping up its game, with $95,000 in Heritage Preservation Grant funding on its way to further revitalize research efforts and on-site educational resources. The city’s African American Resource Advisory Commission is also asking for $20,300 in annual grounds maintenance and $23,000 in funding for additional signage, both of which will be up for consideration in coming budget talks.
The Historic Landmark Commission will vote on the case a second and final time at its Aug. 7 meeting and it will then go to the Planning Commission and City Council. In the meantime, those curious can find further reading at the Bethany Cemetery Association website.
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Historic Landmark Commission: The city’s Historic Landmark Commission promotes historic preservation of buildings and structures. The commission also reviews applications and permits for historic zoning and historic grants.
