Austin City Council established the Irene Hill-Thompson House in East Austin as a city landmark at the May 28 council meeting, according to a news release from Preservation Austin. Marilynn Poole Webb, homeowner and Irene Hill-Thompson’s niece, partnered with Preservation Austin to prepare and present the nomination.
The single-story mid-century modern residence, built in 1963 with a wood frame, represents a legacy of early architecture and civic leadership in Austin’s only historic district exclusively honoring Black heritage.
The history
The Irene Hill-Thompson House was designed by John S. Chase, the first Black student to enroll at The University of Texas at Austin, for Irene Hill-Thompson, a civic leader from the 1940s to the mid 2000s. She was active in local and state politics, known for opening her home to host political fundraisers, meetings and more.
Hill-Thompson was married to Oscar Thompson, the first Black student to graduate from The University of Texas at Austin. The Irene Hill-Thompson House is also one of two original residential designs from Chase in the Austin area, according to the home’s historic zoning application.
The context
Preservation Austin has several advocacy priorities, one of which is to designate underrepresented heritage sites, according to the news release. The nonprofit’s goal is to highlight Mexican Americans, the LGBTQ+ community, women and more to provide an accurate account of the city’s diverse history and culture.
“When only 16% of our landmarks reflect Black and Brown contributions, each designation is an act of correction,” Miriam Conner, board president of Preservation Austin, said in a news release. “We preserve these places because erasure has consequences.”
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