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Background<\/p>\n
The Montopolis Negro School operated from 1935 to 1962 and is among the last surviving rural schools that Travis County operated for African American children during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation. After the Austin School District integrated in 1962, the building served as the Montopolis Church of Christ until the 1980s.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Until the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education landmark US Supreme Court case, the education system in the United States was racially segregated by law. In 1935, a major Austin flood destroyed the original Montopolis Negro School located on the north side of Bastrop Highway about one mile south of the Colorado River.\u00a0 St. Edward\u2019s Baptist Church donated land to Travis County for school purposes at 500 Montopolis Dr. A two-room army barrack was relocated from Camp Swift to the site and renovated to serve as a school. Travis County transferred ownership of the school to Austin public schools\u00a0in 1952, and the school closed in 1962 due to the desegregation of schools.<\/p>\n
In 1967, the property was purchased from Austin public schools, and the building then served as the Montopolis Church of Christ. The church operated until the 1980s and the building has remained vacant since that time. In 2015, a private developer purchased the tract of land along with the building with the intention of developing the land into single-family homes, retail space, and an office building.<\/p>\n
The City of Austin began the process of acquiring the Montopolis Negro School in 2017, as directed in\u00a0Resolution 20170928-056<\/a>, to preserve and program the building and site as a museum and tourist asset. Ultimately, negotiations with a private landowner were unsuccessful, and\u00a0Resolution 20180628-081<\/a>\u00a0initiated eminent domain proceedings in 2018. The Office of Real Estate Services communicated in a\u00a0January 24, 2019 memorandum<\/a>\u00a0to City Council that the City of Austin had taken possession of the property.<\/p>\n Upon taking possession of the building, Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) communicated in a\u00a0March 6, 2019 memorandum<\/a>\u00a0to City Council its intention to secure and protect the building and identify funding for a planning effort. APR completed formal protective efforts in 2019 and completed a hazardous material abatement in Summer 2020. The building\u2019s furnishings are secured on-site in a secure container and all sensitive material is stored in archival boxes in a climate-controlled environment. For further details please see this\u00a0timeline of actions<\/a>\u00a0that led to eminent domain proceedings.<\/p>\n On November 6, 2021, Austin Parks and Recreation hosted an open house for former students and community members to visit the space. APR also worked closely with community members to host tours of the school as part of Juneteenth celebrations in 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n Austin Parks and Recreation worked in partnership with Austin Transportation and Public Works and the Montopolis community to recommend removal of the planned Grove Boulevard extension roadway from the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, which was approved by the Austin City Council in 2022. Subsequently, the tracts of land were authorized as parkland on September 21, 2023 (Ordinance No. 20230921-100<\/a>).<\/p>\n Additionally, APR initially sought to engage a local group to oversee the planning process for the site. However, due to an inability to reach agreement, these efforts have stalled.<\/p>\n Protective Efforts to Date<\/p>\n Austin Parks and Recreation received funding from the Historic Preservation Fund in FY19 to secure the building and complete a hazardous material abatement process. The following areas were addressed with the FY19 funding:<\/p>\n FencingPewsArchival storage boxesRelocation services associated with the acquisitionOnsite storage unitAsbestos and lead testing, abatement, and monitoringPest control<\/p>\n The Montopolis community spearheaded the advocacy efforts that led to the City\u2019s acquisition of the building. Austin Parks and Recreation recognizes and commends the community efforts to ensure that this significant historic site is preserved and looks forward to collaboration on future planning efforts.<\/p>\n Next Steps<\/p>\n This project is in the preliminary planning phase and Austin Parks and Recreation is working with community members on identifying next steps. A community-informed plan will result in concepts for a future museum and community space. Once a plan is completed, APR will seek construction funding for plan implementation to ensure this site is preserved and transformed into a museum in accordance with City Council direction.<\/p>\n Community EngagementLatest MeetingFebruary 17, 2026<\/p>\n Montopolis Recreation Center (The Conference Room): Monday, February 17, 2026, 6:00 p.m.<\/p>\n Community partners were warmly invited to attend and encouraged to forward this invitation to other individuals or organizations who may be interested in the future of the Montopolis Negro School.<\/p>\n This meeting marked a key milestone in\u00a0the project and focused on:<\/p>\n An update from Austin Parks and\u00a0Recreation on the oral history project and the historic designation phase of the Montopolis Negro School projectIntroduction of the Vision Plan and Design Project Team \u00a0Presentation of the draft scope of work for the vision plan and design projectOpportunity for the community to review, provide feedback, and help finalize the scope of workAn overview of how the project team\u00a0will approach the vision planning and design process, including community engagement and next steps<\/p>\n Meeting Presentation (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n