A letter from the Alexander family:

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June 15, 2022

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Thank you
to all who stood with us, spoke on behalf of our historical legacy, waited hours on the phone to deliver public comments, and wrote letters of support. Yesterday, at its regular Tuesday hearing, the Travis County Commission voted to rename Colton Road. Effective in 90 days, the road name will be

DANIEL ALEXANDER WAY 
in honor of our family farm’s progenitor, Daniel Alexander,  who was nationally recognized in the 19th century for his Thoroughbred and Quarter horse breeding and training. Scholars have also recently noted Alexander’s perhaps tacit—yet undeniable—ties to the Southern Underground Railroad.
 

The roadway discussed at the public hearing was likely laid by Alexander and his descendants and was unmarked until the Texas Department of Highways took land from THE ALEXANDER FARM via eminent domain in 1968. This September, the Alexander family plans to conduct a celebratory trail ride along
DANIEL ALEXANDER WAY. Details are forthcoming. 

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Thank you

to the Travis County Commission for hearing our request and voting to support the change. In doing so, you affirmed your commitment to an inclusive County that celebrates its founders equitably. The Alexander family is elated by the outcome, not only because it recognizes the family’s legacy, but because of what this means for the authentic reconstruction of history and the recognition of African Americans’ contributions as a whole. Ours is undoubtedly an important win for Black History
in Austin, Texas, and the nation.

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Happy Juneteenth, Travis County!

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Sincerely, 

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The Alexander Family of THE ALEXANDER FARM

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