Barton Springs Pool. The Greenbelt. Lady Bird Lake.

These are places that define Austin.. but how did we end up with them in the first place? Why are they still open and accessible for the public to enjoy, despite years of growth in the city?

These are the questions examined in the new film,“Origins Of A Green Identity: Austin’s Conservation Pioneers.” The hour-long documentary looks back at, “Austin’s early efforts to preserve Barton Springs and Barton Creek, and ultimately to develop a city with publicly-accessible green spaces along Austin’s waterways.”

In particular, the film looks at the lives of people like Roberta Crenshaw (chairman of the Austin Parks Board), who among other things, fought back against a plan to build a Little Texas theme park on Lady Bird Lake.

“It was not only the things that she accomplished,“ said Beverly Griffith (a former Austin City Council member). It was the disasters that she stopped.”

Interested in learning more about the history of Austin’s most beloved places? The documentary needs your help. The filmmakers have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the final $15,000 they need to complete the movie before it gets broadcast on PBS later this year. You can donate and learn more here>>