League City will name a new roadways to commemorate one of the town’s first Black settlers.
The resolution to name the not-yet-built roadway after one of the town’s first families will soon come to fruition years after former mayor Pat Hallisey expressed interest in the endeavor. Councilmembers Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of the dedication, as more than 20 descendants of Alexander Winfield gathered in chamber halls.
“It feels good to be seen and it feels good to be acknowledged,” Deborah Konrad, Alexander Winfield’s great-granddaughter said. “League City is a big city to me right now and we appreciate it so much for correcting something that went as an oversight for over 100 years.”
“We look forward to driving on Winfield Park,” she said.
A Civil War veteran, Alexander Winfield was League City’s first Buffalo Soldier, Hallisey, who spearheaded the efforts said. In 1902, the Winfield family settled along Hobbs Road, where they owned 30-50 acres, which at the time came in around $750.
Several Winfield family members live along that very stretch of road today. Winfield also founded a church during his time in the area. That was Winfield Methodist Episcopal Church, which eventually merged with another congregation to become the Faith United Methodist Church in Dickinson, according to the city.
Winfield’s ancestors don’t immediately know what brought him to League City, but documents show Winfield was likely involved in running cattle when he moved to Texas, according to the city.
Winfield died in 1915, when Hallisey said parts of his legacy began to fade because of social ills of the 20th century.
Over 150 Winfield descendants gathered in League City for a family reunion, when Hallisey presented the family with a resolution that acknowledged them as a founding family of League City.
And while descendants and residents rejoice in a big step towards preserving the city’s history, it will be at least a year before they can take their first drive on Winfield Parkway, officials said.
“I think over the course of the next several months, it will get built-in pieces, it won’t be one major roadway across the city all at one time but as the development comes forward,” John Baumgartner, city manager said. “They are working on both the east end of it, close to Landing Boulevard, and then on the west end of it close to Maple Leaf, and so we will start seeing pieces come together…”
“When we get ready to open the section, we will let the family know we are doing that and maybe do a ribbon cutting closer to that time,” Baumgartner said.