Show Navigation

April M. Frazier

  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Exhibition Books

April M. Frazier

All Galleries
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x
Download

30 images Created 29 Mar 2018

Passage [pas-ij]

an act or instance of passing from one place or condition to another
an opening or entrance into, through or out of something

the route or course by which a person passes​​
the permission, right, or freedom to pass

a voyage by water from one point to another
a lapse or passing, as of time

transference
transition

Almost 15 years of research led me on a journey of discovery, ​six​ generations back on my mother's side to a small town in rural Texas. A place where the population was never more than 200 people, who farmed and crafted sandstone from the bountiful supply in the area. To a road that leads to where my family lived, worked and died.

These images are a blend of the collection of photographs my grandmother had of her family​,​ used to continue the narrative in new photographs made by me in the same area my family resided.

With a current population of approximately 35 people, I tried to capture what life was still there, while reflecting on the past life of the town. Some remnants of a community post slavery still remain, but mostly, what exists from then to now are ​just the​ trees.

Passage Book: https://www.blurb.com/b/10444065-passage
View: 100 | All

Loading ()...

  • This is Boulton Creek road in Muldoon Texas, the road that leads to where my family lived between 1880 and 1950.
    THE ROAD HOME
  • The back of my grandmother's family portraits which she stitched together.
    A STITCH IN TIME
  • My Grandmother's family portraits were sewn together by hand with string.
    FAMILY PORTRAITS
  • An aged wooden frame was suspended from a branch over Boulton Creek Road. It is used to symbolize the Passage by my family many times on this road.
    PASSAGE FRAME
  • This is a picture of my Grandmother Henrietta, about 3 years old in 1930.
    HENRIETTA MARIE COX
  • My Grandmother's younger brother, Will Burton Jr. The new image of the road was made around the same time of year that Will Jr appeared in the original image around 1935.
    WILL BURTON JR.
  • My Great Grandmother, Mollie Lee Hughes Burton. Here, she sits on the fender of possibly a Ford Model automobile circa 1935.
    MOLLIE LEE HUGHES BURTON
  • I added myself to the narrative to show the continuation of the family. I am facing the opposite direction on the road, leading out.
    SELF PORTRAIT
  • Portrait of my grandmother as a child in 1930.
    MY GRANDMOTHER HENRIETTA
  • Buckner's Creek near Boulton Creek Road in Muldoon, Texas
    BUCKNER'S CREEK
  • The Creek Under Boulton Creek Road
    BOULTON CREEK
  • The long, winding road leading home. The area was sparse with little signs of life. Trees were in between seasons Winter and Spring.
    THE LONG ROAD HOME
  • Posts made of Cedar wood line the farms lands and properties of residents.
    BOULTON CREEK ROAD
  • BLACK BARK TREE
  • Bails of hay and cacti line the road side leading to where my family lived.
    HAY AND CACTI
  • SAN ANTONIO & ARANSAS PASS RAILROAD
  • The Muldoon Courthouse, built in 1890 is now considered a Texas historical landmark:<br />
<br />
Located in southwest Fayette County, the Muldoon area was first settled in the 1830s. The community was named in honor of Father Miguel Muldoon and is situated on land acquired in 1831 through a Spanish land grant from Stephen F. Austin. Father Muldoon was of Irish heritage, educated in Spain and moved to Mexico in 1821 when he entered the priesthood. In Mexico, he met Stephen F. Austin, who gave eleven leagues of land to Muldoon in return for his ministry to the colonists. Four of these leagues were located in Fayette County.<br />
<br />
The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad was built through the area in 1887 and the town grew quickly around it. James Kerr established the first post office in January 1888. Within a decade, Muldoon boasted its own physician, general merchandise stores, churches, a barber shop, saloon, meat market, blacksmith shop, hotel, woodworking shop, lumberyard, cotton gin, railroad depot and a school. The Muldoon courthouse building is a rarity. Constructed in 1890, it is one of six justice precinct courthouses that were built in Fayette County. Over the years, it has been used as a mattress factory, canning kitchen, site for quilting bees, voting location, community meeting place and a museum. Muldoon is also known for its “Muldoon blue” sandstone. Taken from the A. B. Kerr quarry, the sandstone was used in the construction of several sites in Texas, including courthouses, a jail, churches and later in the construction of Galveston and other coastal jetties. Muldoon was once a thriving community, but declined as the railroad industry became less relevant. (2014)<br />
<br />
Marker is property of the State of Texas"
    MULDOON COURTHOUSE, PRECINCT 5
  • A.B. Kerr's company exported Sandstone from Muldoon, Texas. This is the water tower that was adjacent to the manufacturing facility in 1880.
    KERR WATER TOWER
  • A.B. Kerr property. The walkway is made of sandstone which was manufactured by the Kerr company in Muldoon, Texas.
    MULDOON TX-9.JPG
  • A.B. Kerr property. The walkway is made of sandstone which was manufactured by the Kerr company in Muldoon, Texas.
    SANDSTONE ROAD
  • The Cedar Creek Cemetery has been deemed a Texas Historical Landmark. This land was given to my 4th great grandmother and other recently freed slaves to use for a church and a cemetery. <br />
The Marker Reads: <br />
This burial ground was established around 1875 to serve the African-American community of Cedar Creek. The African Methodsist Episcopalian Church, which organized in 1874, recieved this property from the estate of N.W. Faison. Members erected a church building and laid out the cemetery behind it. <br />
The earliest known burial is of Christofer Myres, dating to 1877. Unique grave markers include one shaped into a concrete ball, one made of petrified wood, several partially made from sea shells, and an obelisk. The church served the area for more than 50 years. Today the Cedar Creek Cemetery is all that remains of the historic cedar creek community.
    CEDAR CREEK CEMETERY
  • The outhouse is the remaining structure at Cedar Creek Cemetery
    THE OUTHOUSE OF CEDAR CREEK
  • Inside the Outhouse. The outhouse is the remaining structure at Cedar Creek Cemetery
    INSIDE THE OUTHOUSE
  • Much of the land at the cemetery is unkempt and overgrown. The headstone were difficult to find, but I noticed a pattern. Most of the burials were by a large trees toward the back of the cemetery.
    THE SCAPE OF CEDAR CREEK CEMETERY
  • Much of the land at the cemetery is unkempt and overgrown. The headstone were difficult to find, but I noticed a pattern. Most of the burials were by a large trees toward the back of the cemetery.
    THE SCAPE OF CEDAR CREEK CEMETERY
  • Will Verse, Age Unknown. Will was the cousin of my 4th Great Grandmother.
    WILL VERSE
  • This is the grave of my 4th great Grandfather Charles "Charlie" Hughes. His original name was Houston when his family came from Tennessee. It was changed to Hughes when he became a cook for the Hughes family in Colorado County, Texas.
    CHARLIE (HOUSTON) HUGHES
  • This is the tombstone of mt 4th Great Grandmother Amanda "Amandy" Stamps Hughes. She was a midwife in Muldoon, and delivered almost 60 babies in the small town. She lived to be 98 years old.
    4TH GREAT GRANDMOTHER AMANDA HUGHES
  • This grave was marked with a piece of Cedar Wood almost 80 years ago. Over time the wood turned in to petrified rock.
    PETRIFIED ROCK HEAD STONE
  • The Cedar Creek Cemetery was home to some very unique head stones. This head stone is a ball made of concrete placed on an obelisk pedestal. Over the years, a green fungus has started to cover the top.
    CONCRETE BALL HEAD STONE