Bear Creek Community

Bear Creek Community. . , The Bear Creek community in west Irving is one of the oldest African American communities in Dallas County. During the late 1850s, a mix of free blacks and whites and their enslaved people settled along the upper reaches of Bear Creek, which was situated near today's intersection of Rock Island and Gilbert Roads., After the Civil War and Emancipation, word got out about the freedman settlement at Bear Creek, and newly freed slaves moved to the area. Many settlers were first-time landowners who used their skills to farm small pieces of land. Share cropping continued to be a primary source of employment for Bear Creek residents throughout the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries., With slavery's end, black churches became centerpieces of African American culture and community. The Shady Grove Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church was established in 1884, and is still active today. In 1884, one of Bear Creek's first black landowners, Jim Green, donated a piece of property for the Freedom School. Other residents donated materials and labor., In 1964, residents from Bear Creek and Irving formed the West Irving Improvement Association to advocated for a better quality of life for Bear Creek residents. In 1969, the Bear Creek community north of Rock Island Road was annexed into Irving., Captions , (Photo #1) Jackie Townsell , Jackie Howard moved with her family to Bear Creek in 1949. She married Jimmie Townsell in 1951, and the couple opened a small grocery store in 1959. The store operated for 38 years and became a social center and meeting place for Bear Creek residents. In 1977, Jackie Townsell became the first African American elected to the Irving City Council and served for 19 years. The Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center is named in her honor. , (Photo #2) Bear Creek School , In the foreground of this 1925 photo is the Shady Grove CME original Bear Creek community Church. In the background is the school building known as Freedom School.