Taking Pride in Preservation: Preserving the Watson Chateau for Austin’s LGBTQ+ Community

 Pool party at the Watson Chateau. AR-2005-001-001 Austin History Center, Austin Public Library

BY TRAVIS HOLLER

Nestled within the heart of the University of Texas at Austin campus and overlooking Waller Creek, the Watson Chateau stands as an enduring legacy for Austin's vibrant LGBTQ+ history. This historic home, also known as "The Chateau," not only boasts unique architectural elements but also holds an important connection to Austin's LGBTQ+ community. Its significance extends beyond its architecture and beauty––it provides a connection to the previous owners, their lives, and embodies the enduring spirit of Pride.

Dating back to 1853, the Watson Chateau is a living relic of Texas history. Constructed during the Antebellum Period, it stands as one of the oldest houses in Austin and the oldest building on UT's campus. At the heart of the Watson Chateau's history is the love story of its last owners: Arthur P. Watson, Jr. and Bob Garrett. For nearly five decades, they lived within its walls, hosting extravagant gatherings that welcomed hundreds of gay and straight members of society. In a time of hostility towards LGBTQ+ individuals, the Chateau provided a safe haven where gay men could gather, away from societal judgment. Although they were private about their personal life, Arthur and Bob, played a significant role during the gay rights movement, offering a safe haven for the gay community during the AIDS epidemic and fostering unity within an increasingly marginalized community.

Watson and Garrett in their home. AR-2005-001-034, Austin History Center, Austin Public Library

The Watson Chateau stands as an enduring symbol of the struggles for equality and acceptance that prior generations of the LGBTQ+ community have endured and the progress they achieved. However, as the last Texas Legislative session highlighted, the fight for equality is far from over. Like the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights, the Chateau has weathered both the changing times and threats to its existence. As years have passed the home has faced deterioration from the elements, threats of development, and erasure from memory as prior generations pass away. Now, efforts to preserve this historic landmark are finally growing in urgency as the loss of the Chateau would erase an integral chapter of both Austin and Texas’ queer history. 

As Austin’s LGBTQ+ history still faces the threat of erasure, the Chateau’s significance becomes even more urgent. Preservation Austin is working tirelessly with the Friends of the Watson Chateau to secure the Chateau’s future and honor its heritage. To ensure the survival of the Chateau, specific actions are needed––the building has suffered from years of neglect and deterioration requiring careful maintenance and, eventually, restoration. Detailed 3D scanning is needed to document the architectural details for future preservation work. And lastly, the community deserves a say on the future of the Chateau and the best ways to honor its important history. By taking these steps, UT can showcase its commitment to historical and cultural preservation while creating a vibrant, inclusive space that honors our collective history.

Lawrence v. Texas legalized homosexuality across the county ,"Justices, 6-3, Legalize Gay Sexual Conduct in Sweeping Reversal of Court's '86 Ruling" New York Times article, June 27, 2003

The Watson Chateau stands as a living connection to LGBTQ+ history, architecture, and Austin's heritage. Its preservation transcends the physical bricks and mortar, offering a direct link to the LGBTQ+ community's journey towards equality and acceptance. As Pride events continue to shine a spotlight on our community's accomplishments and challenges, the preservation of historic landmarks like the Chateau ensures that these narratives remain a cherished part of our collective story. By embracing the spirit of Pride through preservation, we honor the past, celebrate the present, and pave the way for a more inclusive future. Its preservation is an affirmation that the struggles and victories of the past are not forgotten, and that they continue to shape our path forward. But this endeavor requires more than sentiment; it requires collective action.

The Watson Chateau in 2009, view of the two stories in the back of the Watson Chateau including one solo balcony and the double deck glass-enclosed balconies outfitted with green iron work, photo from private collection.

By contributing to its preservation efforts, spreading awareness, and visiting the landmark, we ensure that the stories engraved within its walls continue to inspire generations to come. In preserving the Chateau, we preserve the very essence of Pride: the courage to be oneself, the determination to rise above adversity, and the unyielding pursuit of a world where every individual is celebrated for who they are. This Pride month, let us not only celebrate but also recommit ourselves to this ongoing journey towards equality.

To learn more about the Watson Chateau, check out “To Liberate,” a digital exhibition on the history of the site prepared by researcher Marta Stefaniuk.

To stay updated on efforts to preserve the Watson Chateau, follow Preservation Austin on Instagram and Facebook and sign up for email alerts.

---

Travis Holler is a Board Member of The Equality Alliance, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting Austin’s LGBTQ+ community. As a member of the Friends of the Watson Chateau and incoming Board Member of Preservation Austin, Travis is committed to highlighting LGBTQ+ landmarks and their history in Austin and Texas as a whole.

---

PRESERVATION AUSTIN EXISTS TO EMPOWER AUSTINITES TO SHAPE A MORE INCLUSIVE, RESILIENT, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY CULTURE THROUGH PRESERVATION. SUPPORT THIS WORK BY DONATING OR BECOMING A MEMBER TODAY.

Preservation Austin Awards $21,000 in Summer 2023 Grant Cycle

Preservation Austin is proud to announce our June 2023 grant awardees! This summer’s grantees care deeply for places and stories in Austin and these projects, all rooted in local communities, demonstrate the incredible preservation efforts happening all across our city. We are so pleased to be able to provide the following five worthy projects with $4,200 each this grant cycle: 1907 Chestnut Avenue, Roberts Clinic, Chateau Bellevue, the Stolle-Sweatt House, and Jump: Swim-ins at Barton Springs, a documentary film project.

Preservation Austin’s grants program fuels essential projects across three categories: education, bricks and mortar, and planning/survey/historic designation. By providing funding to important projects citywide, we aim to financially support our fellow Austinites as they preserve our shared past.

1907 Chestnut Avenue | $4,200 Brick & Mortar Grant

Photo: Preservation Austin

This contributing resource to the Rogers Washington Holy Cross Historic District in East Austin was once the residence of the current homeowner’s grandmother. Today the owner is devoted to honoring her late grandmother’s home, which fell into disrepair after she passed away. Using a brick and mortar grant from Preservation Austin, she is working to restore the house to its exceptional beauty, and carry on her grandmother’s legacy. She states, “this project is close to my heart because many hard-working African Americans worked tirelessly to maintain beautiful dwellings for their families. I know these families, am fully aware of the neighborhood's past, and as a descendant, I must pay it forward.” Funding from Preservation Austin will go towards foundation repair, siding replacement, and additional interior and exterior restoration work.

Roberts Clinic, 1174 San Bernard Street | $4,200 Brick & Mortar Grant

Photo: Preservation Austin

The preservation-minded owners of the Roberts Clinic are receiving their second grant from Preservation Austin, this time for structural restoration, HVAC repair, and attic decontamination. After successfully completing the scope of an architectural planning grant and commissioning a master plan for restoration work, the building’s stewards will receive a brick and mortar grant for the continued preservation of this important City of Austin Landmark. Roberts Clinic is an excellent local example of the small proprietary medical clinics built by Black physicians during the period of segregated medical practices in the United States. Dr. Edward L. Roberts, founder of the clinic, opened the medical facility in 1937 and administered treatment, performed minor surgeries, and offered labor and delivery services for Austin’s Black community until his death in 1967. The only remaining example of this property type extant in Austin, Roberts Clinic is seen by many longtime East Austin residents as a symbol of the Black community’s history and resilience during times of transformative change. 

Chateau Bellevue, 708 San Antonio Street | $4,200 Brick & Mortar Grant

Photo: Preservation Austin

The North-Evans Chateau Bellevue, built in 1874 and today the home of the Austin Woman’s Club, is one of our city’s oldest residential buildings and has served as a venue and meeting space for local organizations for decades. A brick and mortar grant from Preservation Austin will fund the much needed restoration of a beautiful set of French doors located on the building’s third floor. These doors are severely deteriorated and exterior paint is worn and peeling, so this restoration project is a small, but necessary step in preserving the building’s historic fabric. Grant support will contribute significantly to both the project’s completion and the building’s further protection from the Texas climate, allowing the Austin Woman’s Club to further its mission to preserve the historical and architectural heritage of the Chateau.

Stolle-Sweatt House, 1209 E. 12th Street | $4,200 Brick & Mortar Grant

Photo: Preservation Austin

This Folk Victorian-style home has a powerful legacy that embodies the diverse histories that have shaped East Austin. The Stolle-Sweatt house, named for the home’s builders and its most famous resident, respectively, was constructed over 134 years ago by a German-American family of bakers and grocers. Decades later, after the 1928 City Plan segregated people of color to East Austin, Mary Ella Brown Lewis, a Black woman, purchased the house and supplemented her income by taking in boarders. One of these boarders was civil rights activist Heman Marion Sweatt who lived in the home while attending and desegregating the Law School at the University of Texas from 1950 to 1952. Sweatt’s fight for equal educational opportunities challenged the “separate but equal” doctrine of racial segregation, leading to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954. Grant funding from Preservation Austin will support painting, siding repairs, and window screen replacements at this notable Austin landmark.

Jump: Swim-ins at Barton Springs | $4,200 Education Grant

Civil Rights Activist Joan Means Khabele. Film still from interview by Karen Kocher.

This animated documentary film, created by award-winning media producer Karen Kocher, will track the essential role of youth activism in the desegregation of Barton Springs. Pairing interviews with original animations, Jump will tell the story of students in the 1960s who banded together to fight the racist policies that prohibited the Black community from buying tickets to Barton Springs Pool. “Swim-ins” led by Black high school and university students were ultimately successful and these efforts ultimately led to the desegregation of all Austin Parks and Recreation facilities. After the film is completed it will air on Austin PBS, be incorporated into AISD high school sociology courses, and become part of a permanent exhibit at the Beverly S. Sheffield Center at Barton Springs.  

---

Preservation Austin exists to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful community culture through preservation. Support our work by becoming a member or donating today.

Home to Champions: Anderson Stadium in East Austin

The award-winning Yellow Jacket Marching Band performs on the field.

This article, originally published in the fall of 2021, is the third in a series of Preservation Austin newsletter articles about Old L.C. Anderson High School. Read Part I on the history of L.C. Anderson here and Part II on the story of the school’s closure here. 

With fall comes Texas’ national sport—football! While high school football has been played in Austin for almost a century, most think of large stadiums like House Park and Nelson Field as the home of high school football in Austin. But in East Austin sits a field, used for less than 20 years, that was home to one of the most decorated teams in the city: the L.C. Anderson High School Yellow Jackets.

East Austin’s Anderson High School was the city’s only high school for African Americans during segregation. In the early 20th century, Austin Public Schools (what is now AISD) built a large new school building for its Black students on Pennsylvania Avenue. At that time, Anderson did not have any sports teams but quickly formed football, basketball, and baseball teams in the 1920s. Though the new facilities were an upgrade from previous school buildings, the campus was not equipped with space for teams to practice or play, so the football and baseball teams shared a field with the Samuel Houston College teams. Known today as the historic Downs Field, it was over a mile from Anderson, down a dirt road, and across an active railroad line.

The white Austin High School teams at this time practiced at the University of Texas fields. When UT asked the high school to find another place to play, AISD began improvements on a large field adjacent to Austin High, what is now known as House Park. In 1937, AISD built a concrete grandstand at the field, capable of seating over 3,000 fans. A couple of years later, the school district built another grandstand, bringing House Park’s capacity to close to 6,000.

The Austin High School football team poses at House Park, with the concrete grandstand in the background of the photograph.

Meanwhile, in deep East Austin, AISD decided to purchase the Samuel Huston College stadium as L.C. Anderson’s home field. Based on a ten-year-old recommendation from the City of Austin’s 1928 City Plan, AISD finally moved toward providing a “separate” football and baseball facility for its Black high school. However, the 1939 Anderson Stadium was not in any way equal to House Park. Anderson had bleachers that could seat only 1,100 fans, and the walk from the school to the field was long. AISD purchased the stadium despite the protests of the African American community. In 1942, Anderson hosted the state football championship for Texas’ Black high schools and won, 40-0.

In 1948, AISD purchased a 22-acre site for a new L.C. Anderson High School on Thompson Street. As part of this new school construction, AISD chose to build a new football and track and field stadium next to the high school building. In 1953, a new Anderson High School, along with a basic high school stadium, opened for Austin’s Black students. When it opened, the new Anderson Stadium had less amenities than the older one. While there was lighting, a new regulation track, and an electronic scoreboard, there was barely any seating for fans. Players had to use the locker rooms in the school’s gymnasium for practice. Repeated demands for improvements from the Black community led AISD to build new wooden and metal bleachers (not concrete like in House Park). By 1960, there were multiple concrete block buildings at the stadium, including a two-story fieldhouse, concession stands, and ticket booths.

The L.C. Anderson High School track team practices hurdles at the Anderson Stadium. Note the wooden bleachers to the left of the photograph.

Having a stand-alone stadium solely for the use of Black high schools was extremely rare in Texas––most shared use of the white high school’s stadium or otherwise used the city’s facilities. Research has uncovered the existence of just three stand-alone stadiums of this kind in Texas: Anderson’s in Austin, and stadiums at the Black high schools in Texarkana and in Conroe, both gone. Anderson Stadium meant that the high school could continue to host state football championship games, and those games could be played on Friday nights. In addition to multiple championship football teams, it was also home to the award-winning Yellow Jacket Marching Band and top-ranked track and field athletes. Despite its physical shortcomings, especially compared to the white House Park, Anderson Stadium was a place of student leadership, achievement, and an immense sense of community pride that endures amongst its alumni today. 

The 1953 Anderson Stadium was only home to the Anderson Yellow Jackets for less than 20 years. In 1955, in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education declaring segregation unconstitutional, AISD began a “freedom of choice” desegregation plan, where students could choose which high school they attended. As more and more Black students chose to attend white schools, and as AISD received more and more pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice to integrate, the school district would ultimately integrate its sports teams before truly integrating its schools. Anderson’s last home game was played on September 9, 1966 against long-time rivals from San Antonio, Wheatley High School. By 1971, the entire L.C. Anderson High School campus closed, a victim of racist policy that required the burden of integration to fall on Austin’s Black students. The current L.C. Anderson High School opened in 1973, more than ten miles away in northwest Austin.

Anderson Stadium was never built to last, despite being an essential place of community, education, and recreation for Black East Austin. AISD used cheaper materials in constructing the bleachers, as opposed to the substantive concrete used at House Park, and the stadium languished after AISD closed the school. AISD did not invest in any maintenance or reuse plan for the space, and when the new Austin Community College moved into the old school buildings in 1982, AISD paved over the football field and track for parking. By the time the stadium became a parking lot, multiple buildings were gone, the bleachers had been removed, and the goalposts and scoreboard were also lost.

Three Anderson High School football players practice in the new Anderson Stadium. When it opened, the stadium had lighting for night games but minimal seating for fans.

But the significance of this stadium to the heart and soul of the East Austin community ensured its survival. When former Anderson football player, then National Football League player, Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson visited his old neighborhood, he saw the state of the old stadium. Determined to bring it back as a place for the community to gather and play sports again, he raised money through fundraisers and a hunger strike to remove the concrete, put back grass and a running track, and build new bathrooms. His foundation took over the maintenance and operation of Anderson Stadium, now renamed the Yellow Jacket Stadium, from AISD and returned it to community use.

While the Yellow Jacket Stadium today is a smaller version of what it was at the height of its Anderson Stadium years, it remains an extremely significant place in the history of Austin and the state of Texas as the only stand-alone Black high school stadium remaining in the state. It serves as a reminder of our segregated and unequal past, and is the only remaining historic place associated with the African American L.C. Anderson High School, most of which was demolished in 2019. 

The 1960 fieldhouse remains at the stadium today, while the bleachers, grassy field, and track date to renovations of the field in the past few decades.

Most significantly, Yellow Jacket Stadium is a place of great achievement, especially in the face of great opposition. Despite segregation, minimal funding, lack of reuse or maintenance, and neglect, the students who played here went on to achieve great things. The stadium endures as a monument to their successes and determination.

The National Park Service will soon review a nomination of Anderson Stadium to the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to this listing, the site of the 1953 L.C. Anderson school building recently received a state historical marker––an occasion that was marked by a ceremony put on by the Original L.C. Anderson Alumni Association to great fanfare. An additional state historic marker for Anderson Stadium is forthcoming as well.  AISD continues to steward the school site and stadium, and is currently building a new fieldhouse to provide more bathroom and locker spaces. Plans are also in the works for the rehabilitation of the 1960 field house with a small exhibit space showing the stadium’s heyday. Stay tuned for more to come! 

Rebekah Dobrasko is a public historian and volunteer with Preservation Austin and the Original L.C. Anderson Alumni Association. She has been telling the stories of the historic L.C. Anderson High School since 2017.

All historic images courtesy of the Austin History Center. Current images courtesy of Rebekah Dobrasko.

Editor’s note: Anderson Stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in February 2022. The successful nomination can be found here.