01 Gold Dollar Building
A landmark of East Austin’s business and cultural life—where community gathered, built, and sustained itself across generations.
WOW What Once Was
Austin, Texas
Our Stories, Our Streets
Our Stories,Our Streets.
Discover Austin’s African American history through the places, people, and legacies that shaped East Austin.
Explore the tourAbout this experience
Part of What Once Was.
Our Stories, Our Streets is part of What Once Was, an E4 Youth initiative connecting cultural storytelling, creative technology, and place.
About What Once WasHistory, in place
The street is the archive.
Step into Austin’s Black history through an immersive AR walking tour. At each stop, you’ll unlock a short story that connects place, people, and legacy—bringing the past into view on the streets where it happened.
6historic stops
across East Austin
Explore the route
Tour at a glance
Six places. One connected story. Follow the route through East Austin and discover the people, businesses, and communities that shaped the neighborhood.
Select a numbered stop to preview its story.
Tour routeConnection across I–3501Numbers match the stories below
History appears where it happened
Step into the story.
Meet Jacob Fontaine at the places where East Austin history unfolded. Through augmented reality, your guide appears in the environment and brings each location’s story into view.
- 01Place JacobLaunch the experience at a tour stop.
- 02Listen to the storyHear history connected to the place around you.
- 03Continue the routeReturn to the tour and choose your next stop.
Meet your guide
Walk the route with Jacob Fontaine
A historic guide for the tour experience.
Follow the route
Six places. Six stories.
Choose any stop, or begin at the Gold Dollar Building and follow the route in order.
01 
02 Blackland
A neighborhood story of home, change, and community identity—told through the places that shaped daily life.
03 Rogers Washington Holy Cross
A living anchor of faith and community leadership—reflecting how institutions helped hold neighborhoods together.
04 Rosewood Courts
A window into everyday life, resilience, and the systems that shaped housing and opportunity in East Austin.
05 Huston Tillotson University
A cornerstone of education and leadership—showing how learning institutions powered progress and possibility.
06 Victory Grill
A legendary venue where music, culture, and history converged—capturing the sound and spirit of an era.
How it works
1
Choose a stop (or follow the route in order).
2
Tap Launch AR to open the story experience.
3
Return here to continue to the next stop.