Black families have lived and continue to thrive in a vibrant community locally known as the ‘Ville. a neighborhood bounded by 9th Avenue on the north, 14th Avenue on the south, Duck Street on the east, and Adams Street on the west.
Black residents in Stillwater have overcome many challenges. While the ’Ville has been well-loved by its residents, for much of its history the neighborhood lacked outside support due to segregation. For instance, Stillwater police and firefighter services were withheld from the ‘Ville for many decades. As such, whenever a building caught fire, the neighborhood’s residents used buckets of water to extinguish the blaze.
Additionally, Stillwater Creek, found just south of Booker T. Washington School, would frequently flood much of the neighborhood. As such, families often had to evacuate their homes. Further families were disrupted when urban renewal projects in the 1960s displaced them. Despite the danger and destruction, Black residents persevered.
Regardless of the hardships, residents of the ‘Ville remain a close-knitted community. Their neighborhood has changed and continues to change, but its roots will be forever tied to the Black residents that have long called the area home.
Below is a walking tour brochure provided by OSU students Megan Orr, Joseph Frimel, and Elizabeth Roark. You can also click here for a downloadable PDF version.
