GARLAND, Texas — There’s a little bit of history all around us, it just takes some digging to uncover it all.

That’s what happened in a city in North Texas just a few years ago.

Wall-to-wall memories cover Bertha Lipscomb Wallace’s home in Garland, just east of Dallas. The nearly 80-year-old has lived here with her family since 1950. But before they moved to the east end of Garland, her parents and older sister lived at what is now downtown Garland. Back then, this area was called The Flats.

The city said it was Garland’s first freestanding Black community, equipped with a church, school, homes and businesses. This area thrived from the 1910s to the 1960s.

“The City of Garland wanted to recognize this because the history had kind of been hidden since the 60s and we worked with many community members to kind of uncover this history,” said Emily Chavez, Heritage Crossing coordinator at Garland Landmark Museum.

Community members like Wallace held onto that history through old photographs and a new book she just published about The Flats. But the city wanted to take it a step further after its recent discovery.

“We also wanted to have an art piece. And we have the wonderful mosaic by Reginald Adams,” said Chavez.

Wallace and some cornerstone members of the city helped put it together. It was a real talker that had people stopping by during our interview.

“And then we also have a historical marker. We’ll also have five what we call interpretive panels and that will kind of go into depth of the history. What kind of adds personality to it and what the people who lived here in The Flats experienced every day,” said Chavez.

The sample cardboard panels will be installed next to the mosaic ahead of the city’s Juneteenth celebration.

“So, our footprints have changed and shifted, and that’s why this is so important,” said Wallace.

A piece of Wallace’s history will officially be dedicated, forever cementing its place in history.

The City of Garland’s Juneteenth celebration is Saturday, June 20. The dedication starts at 4:30 p.m. at The Atrium, with the fun and fanfare continuing until 9 p.m. It’s free to the public.