History Surrounds

Produced by Austin-based augzoo LLC in partnership with the Austin History Center and Friends of Wooldridge Square, History Surrounds uses location-based augmented reality to place historical stories and digital media directly into the historic landscape of Wooldridge Square. Visitors can explore three interconnected Austin stories: Block 101 & Its Legacy Churches - The history of churches and communities connected to the area, including Jacob Fontaine’s First Baptist Church, Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church, Metropolitan AME Church and Gethsemane Lutheran Church. The Woman Suffrage Movement in Austin - Stories of Texas suffragists including Jane Y. McCallum and Minnie Fisher Cunningham, whose movement for voting rights included gatherings at Wooldridge Square. Austin Music & Cultural History - The story of Wooldridge Square’s connection to Austin's music and counterculture, including an interview with legendary Austin artist Jim Franklin and materials from the Austin Museum of Popular Culture. The augmented reality experience includes 3D historical figures, digital reconstructions of historic churches, archival materials, oral histories and interactive storytelling. The project will continue beyond Saturday and will be updated with additional stories and research over time.