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West End Park in Smithville, located 200 yards west, was one of the last Texas stops on the “Chitlin’ Circuit,” a string of performance venues in the south that served as safe and accepting spaces for African American performers. “Chitlin’ Circuit” refers to the Chitlins and soul food dishes that clubs often sold, although the clubs were also referred to as the One-Nighter Circuit or the Theatrical Circuit. West End Park was owned by I.T. Harper, a former pitcher for the Kansas City monarchs in the Negro Leagues, and his wife, Sis. In the racially segregated Jim Crow south, this was an important venue from the early 1900s until the 1960s for many African American musicians excluded from white venues. The surrounding park was a location for many events and gatherings in the African American community, the majority of whom mainly lived on the south side of the railroad tracks in Smithville. The baseball field at the park was used for Negro Leagues Baseball, and long-time residents recall watching legendary Negro Leagues players such as Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson in exhibition games against the Smithville team. When not arranged as a baseball field, local families used West End Park as gathering places for church picnics, holiday celebrations, and family reunions for the African American community. As the Chitlin’ Circuit was a significant part of many notable performers’ careers, renowned jazz and blues artists such as Lightnin’ Hopkins, Etta James, Joe Tex, T-Bone Walker, Roosevelt Thomas Williams (aka. The “Grey Ghost”), and Hannibal Lokumbe (Marvin Peterson) played at the local venue. In 2009, the governor’s office issued a proclamation recognizing West End Park’s significance to Bastrop County and Texas. (2010) |
