30.2 - Bethany Cemetery - support letter — original pdf

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June 25, 2024 Board of Directors Adam Adams Tom Byrd Joyce Conner William Doolittle Miguel Ángel Fernández de Mazarambroz John Kisalus Bob Perkins Dave Regan Jesús Treviño Bob Ward Executive Director Steven Gonzales Contact P.O. Box 41286 Austin, Texas 78704 P: 512-850-9073 F: 512-451-3110 Subject: Bethany Cemetery Historic Designation To the Austin Historic Landmark Commission, The Bethany Cemetery is one of the oldest African American Cemeteries in Austin. Established by John Holland, William Tears, Henderson Rollins and Allen Bradley in 1893, the cemetery has served the community since that time as the resting place for members of the Austin African American population. Before the creation of the cemetery, a section of the El Camino Real ran through the grounds and traces are still visible on the landscape. The El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association supports the efforts of the Bethany Cemetery Association in obtaining a local landmark designation for the tract. We feel that the presence of the trail serves to remind us of the historical interconnectedness that links us all together. Recognition from the City of Austin and your commission will help further the narrative of both the cemetery and the trail. Please let us know how we can further this effort and if we can be of additional service, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you, Bob Ward Public Relations Committee www.elcaminotrail.org