Carrington Building, Austin, Texas
historical marker
The Carrington Building, located at 520 East Sixth Street in Austin, Travis County, holds historical significance. Edward Carrington, Austin's first black property owner, built this structure in 1872. It served as his grocery store and family home. Edward Carrington was known for his community involvement, including loaning money to families, providing food to those in need, and arranging burials for impoverished neighbors. His son-in-law, L.D. Lyons, later took over the grocery business, and the Carrington-Lyons family operated on East Sixth Street for a century. The building originally had one story, with a second story, known as Lyons Hall, added later for African-American community functions. The Carrington Building was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1983. It is also a contributing building to the Sixth Street Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This site represents a century of business and community support from the Carrington-Lyons family.