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BASTROP — Bastrop bid farewell this past weekend to a landmark exhibit after making its first-ever stop in Texas.
The Kerr Community Center Aug. 31 marked the end of its three-month engagement with the traveling sculpture “Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom.” Created by Wofford Sculpture Studio of North Carolina, the 9-foot-tall statue celebrates Tubman’s brave efforts to rescue enslaved people during the 1800s. Since its debut in 2020, the statue has traveled across the country but had yet to visit Texas until its stop in Bastrop.
Sponsored by Pyrology Foundry and Studio, thanks to the generosity of Clint and Jamie Howard, the sculpture had been on display at the center since June.
The farewell event featured a special appearance by Miss Opal Lee, renowned as “the grandmother of Juneteenth.” Lee, a key figure in the push to make Juneteenth a national holiday, delivered brief remarks on the significance of the celebration and participated in a book signing. Attendees had the chance to take photos with Lee and hear her insights on Juneteenth.
The statue’s display at the Kerr Community Center, located at 1308 Walnut Street, was made possible through the cooperation of the city of Bastrop and numerous other collaborators. The farewell event also served as a fundraising opportunity to support the renovation of the Kerr Community Center, a historic 110-year-old building that hosts various social, recreational and civic activities in the community.
Donations collected during the event will aid in the center’s renovation efforts. For more information on how to contribute, contact Dock Jackson, Chair of the Kerr Community Center Board, at kerrcommunitycen-ter@ gmail.com.
