06.f - C14H-2026-0018 - public comment — original pdf

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TARA A. DUDLEY, PhD 130 Palmetto Cove Kyle, Texas 78640 (512) 317-5536 March 27, 2026 City of Austin Historic Landmark Commission Historic Preservation Office P.O. Box 1088 Austin, TX 78767 Dear Commissioners, I write to you expressing the strongest support of landmark designation for the Hill-Thompson House at 1906 Maple Avenue—an extraordinary site where architecture, community leadership, and Black history in Austin intersect in profound and enduring ways. Designed in 1963 by pioneering architect John Saunders Chase, the Hill-Thompson House represents a defining early moment in his career as his first residential commission in Austin. Chase, the first African American graduate of the University of Texas School of Architecture and the first licensed Black architect in Texas, brought a refined mid-century modern vocabulary to East Austin and Black Austinites—adapting modern design influenced by the Usonian principles of Frank Lloyd Wright to the cultural, climatic, and social realities of a segregated city. This home, with its careful siting, climate- responsive overhangs, and balance of privacy and openness, reflects both accessibility, innovation, and intention. Yet the significance of this house extends far beyond architecture. It is deeply rooted in the lives and legacies of its original owner, Irene Hill Thompson. Mrs. Thompson’s husband Oscar Thompson was a groundbreaking figure in his own right—the first African American graduate of the University of Texas, earning his master’s degree in zoology in 1952 and contributing to early research in genetics. After his untimely death in 1962, the construction of this home became both a personal and symbolic act. Designed by his close friend John S. Chase, the house reflects resilience, friendship, and Mrs. Thompson’s determination to build a life and legacy for her family in the face of loss. Irene Hill Thompson herself stands as one of the most significant civic figures associated with Austin’s history. During a 34-plus-year career with Austin Independent School District (AISD)—much of it at L. C. Anderson High School—she mentored generations of students and young professionals while also serving as a leader in civic, political, and cultural life. Her home was not merely a private residence; it was a vital gathering place for community organizing, political engagement, and social life in East Austin. From hosting campaign events during the 1964 presidential campaign of Lyndon B. Johnson to welcoming local and state leaders such as Lloyd Doggett and Gonzalo Barrientos, the Hill-Thompson House functioned as a hub of grassroots democracy and civic participation. TARA A. DUDLEY, PhD 130 Palmetto Cove Kyle, Texas 78640 (512) 317-5536 The house is also inseparable from the broader legacy of the Hill family, one of Austin’s most accomplished and civically engaged African American families. Irene’s parents, Jerome and Ida Belle Hill, established deep roots in East Austin in the early twentieth century, contributing to the development of a thriving Black middle-class community despite the constraints of segregation. Her siblings, including Dr. James L. Hill—a senior vice president at the University of Texas—and Waldron Wray Plicque, a longtime educator and administrator in AISD, continued that legacy of leadership and public service. The Maple Avenue home reflects this multigenerational commitment to education, civic life, and community advancement. Importantly, the Hill-Thompson House has remained in the stewardship of the family since its construction, now owned by Marilynn Poole Webb, Irene’s niece. This continuity of ownership enhances the property’s integrity and underscores its role not only as a historic structure but as a living site of memory, identity, and community connection. Within the Rogers–Washington–Holy Cross local historic district—an area shaped by the resilience and aspirations of Black Austinites during and after segregation—the Hill-Thompson House stands as both a physical and symbolic landmark. It reflects the broader history of a community that, despite systemic barriers such as redlining and restrictive covenants, built a vibrant and self-sustaining civic and cultural landscape. Landmark designation is essential to preserving not only the architectural integrity of this mid-century modern residence, but also the layered histories it embodies: the story of a pioneering architect, the achievements of a barrier-breaking scholar, the leadership of a remarkable civic figure, and the enduring strength of a family and community. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Commission to approve landmark designation for the Hill-Thompson House. In doing so, the City of Austin will honor a site that tells a fuller, richer story of our past—one grounded in excellence, perseverance, and the power of place. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration. Sincerely, Tara A. Dudley, PhD Assistant Professor, The University of Texas School of Architecture Chair, State Board of Review, Texas Historical Commission author, “There Is Something Else to be Done”: The Life and Career of John Saunders Chase (1925-2012) (manuscript in progress; under contract with UT Press)