HOUSTON – A construction mishap in one of Houston’s most historically significant neighborhoods has sparked swift action from city officials and community leaders. This week, portions of the hand-laid brick streets in Freedmen’s Town part of the city’s Fourth Ward were damaged during nearby infrastructure work.
Council Member Abbie Kamin, who represents District C, confirmed that her office was alerted Tuesday night that a contractor had gotten too close to the historic brick intersections and had begun removing or disturbing the bricks something they were explicitly not authorized to do.
Recommended Videos
“These bricks were laid by freed individuals who helped build Freedmen’s Town after emancipation,” Kamin said. “It’s not lost on me that this happened just before Juneteenth. This isn’t just Houston history it’s American and world history.”
Doris Ellis Robinson, founder and president of the Freedmen’s Town Preservation Coalition, reported that contractors damaged historic bricks in Houston’s Fourth Ward.
“You cannot get this back,” said Robinson.
Robinson showed KPRC 2’s Brittany Jeffers the exact location where 22 historic bricks were damaged during construction work.
“The construction workers should have followed the guidelines. They should have known better,” Robinson emphasized.
“I don’t think there was ill intent,” Kamin told KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun. “But this history is too important to leave to chance.”
The disturbed bricks have since been safely removed and placed in secure storage, where other historic bricks from the area are also kept. Kamin said the contractor has been required to hire overnight security to prevent theft or further damage, and archaeological experts are being brought in to ensure proper handling and eventual restoration.
“We’re not taking any chances,” she said.
“There’s a rule in my office,” Kamin said. “If we get a call about something happening in Freedmen’s Town, we drop everything and go. And if you have to lay in the street to stop it, you lay in the street.”
Thankfully, no one had to lie down but the damage was enough to halt the project immediately. City departments including Public Works, and the Office of Economic Development jumped into action alongside Kamin’s office, the Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, and other stakeholders.
“This isn’t just about bricks,” she said. “It’s about the story they tell and the people who made them possible.”
