About Us
PRESERVING AND CULTIVATING AUSTIN CULTURE SINCE 1877
Flower Hill Center stands as a sanctuary of heritage and innovation in Austin, dedicated to inspiring the community towards a future rich in exploration and creativity. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque historic home and 1.38 acres of beautiful Texas wildscape, the Center includes a collection of three centuries' worth of furnishings, textiles, and texts, complemented by six historic out-buildings, ponds, and rockeries.
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​Flower Hill is a crucible for artistic expression, bold exploration, and thoughtful conversation. Each visit offers a chance to engage with the stories that shaped our past and influence our future. As a premier destination for community engagement and cultural enrichment, Flower Hill Center invites all to explore, learn, and contribute to a thriving, inclusive community.
MISSION
Our mission is to inspire a deep appreciation of the past and spark curiosity for the future while cultivating a community centered on thoughtful conversation, bold exploration, artistic expression, and civic engagement.
VISION
Flower Hill Center envisions a future where the past informs and inspires a vibrant nexus of history, art, and community. Here, in the heart of Austin, our grounds, garden, and historic home serve as a canvas for creativity, dialogue, and civic engagement, shaping a legacy for generations to come.
VALUES & COMMUNITY COMMITMENTS
At Flower Hill Center, we steward a rare and enduring piece of Austin’s past. We believe that history should live, breathe, and bring people together. The following values guide how we work, gather, and welcome others into this historic place:
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Preserve With Purpose
We are committed to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the Flower Hill Homestead, its collections, and 1.38 acres of Texas landscape with care, integrity, and creativity. This is more than upkeep—it’s a living legacy.
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Honor the Smoot Family Story
Our work is rooted in the legacy of Miss Jane Smoot and the generations before her. We honor their contributions through thoughtful cultural engagement, public education, and community-centered storytelling.
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Welcome Everyone In
We aim to create a respectful, inclusive environment where all people feel a sense of belonging. Discrimination, harassment, and exclusion of any kind has no place here.
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Serve Central Texas
We hold a deep responsibility to our community. Whether you're here for a tour, event, or gathering, know that we are working to make Flower Hill a resource and refuge for our neighbors.
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Act With Integrity
We represent our mission with honesty, humility, and professionalism. Our team operates with clear goals, open communication, and a shared commitment to excellence.
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Embrace Curiosity + Collaboration
We believe in learning alongside one another. Our work thrives on curiosity, partnerships, and participation. All are invited to contribute, question, and explore.
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Stay Accountable
We value feedback and aim to respond to conflict with care. If you experience or witness behavior that doesn’t align with these commitments, we’re here to listen and take action.
LAND & LABOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT
At Flower Hill, we recognize that this land holds many stories, some remembered, many forgotten. As stewards of a place once home to the Smoot family, we pause to honor all those who have lived, labored, gathered, and moved through here across time.
We carry a deep responsibility to care for this land and its history with integrity and heart. That means not only preserving what we can see, but also acknowledging what has been overlooked.
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We acknowledge that the land on which Flower Hill Center stands—Austin, Texas, and the surrounding region—is the occupied, unceded territory of the Tonkawa, Comanche, Lipan Apache, Jumanos, Coahuiltecan, Sana, and other Indigenous Peoples who have lived, traveled, and stewarded this land for generations. The forced removal and displacement of these communities, along with the ongoing effects of colonization, have shaped the history of this place.
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Flower Hill Center recognizes that our presence here today is a direct result of these histories, and we honor the resilience and contributions of Indigenous Peoples past and present. We commit to learning from their stewardship of the land and to fostering relationships that uplift Indigenous voices, histories, and futures.
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While we do not believe that the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) affects the Flower Hill collections, our staff remains mindful and observant of any objects that may fall under NAGPRA laws and regulations. We acknowledge the significance of these items to Indigenous communities and are committed to acting responsibly and ethically should any such objects be identified.
​We pay respect to the known and undocumented Black laborers whose hands shaped these grounds and buildings. Though their names may not appear in our archives, their impact lives on and we are committed to learning, listening, and centering their stories in the work we do.
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We invite you to take a moment to reflect on the legacies of this land and to honor and celebrate the Indigenous and Black communities who have shaped and continue to shape Central Austin.
THE SMOOT FAMILY CREED
Eat it all
Use it up
Save it for best
Wear it out
Work to earn
DO WITHOUT
