Pease Park: Austin's First Public Park
historical marker
Pease Park, in Austin, Travis County, Texas, is named for former Texas Governor Elisha M. Pease and his wife, Lucadia. In 1875, the Peases donated 23 acres of their Woodlawn plantation land along Shoal Creek to the City of Austin. This established Pease Park as Austin's first public park. Before this, the land was inhabited by Native Americans. It also served as a post-Civil War camping ground for General George Armstrong Custer and Union soldiers in 1865 and 1866. While largely undeveloped for decades, improvements began in the 1920s. It is noted that Governor Pease was an enslaver, with enslaved individuals laboring on this land. The 1928 City of Austin plan also contributed to park segregation. A historical marker for Pease Park was erected in 1971 by the State Historical Survey Committee. Pease Park is historically significant as Austin's original public park, reflecting a complex past.