Historical Commission
Historical Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: |
||
| DATE: April 6, 2010 | EVENT DATE: Friday, April 30 | |
MENCHACA ELEMENTARY OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED WITH |
||
AUSTIN, Texas ––The Texas Historical Commission has recognized Menchaca Elementary as a significant part of Texas history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. The designation honors education in Manchaca as an important part of local history.
A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event will be held on Friday, April 30th at Menchaca Elementary at 2 PM. The public is invited to attend.
“The Official Texas Historical Marker program helps bring attention to community treasures and the importance of their preservation. Awareness and education are among the best ways to guarantee the preservation of our state’s history. This designation is a tool that will increase public awareness of important cultural resources.” said Larry Oaks, executive director of the THC.
A subject qualifies for a marker if two basic criteria are met:
- historical significance
- and age.
Historical significance is established by reviewing its role and importance in local history and the age requirement depends on the topic.
BACKGROUND: The community of Manchaca, TX established in the early 1850s, has supported the education of its children for over 125 years. A tuition school which met at the Old Rock Church off of Twin Creeks Rd. was the first school for the children of the Manchaca community. In 1883, a new public school was built, replacing the tuition school. The new school was built on the north east corner of FM 1626 and Manchaca Rd. This school had 2 teachers and an enrollment of 50 students. There were “home cooked” meals provided each day by various local ladies. The Manchaca area also had an African American school which listed 53 students in 1913 and as late as 1945 there were 40 students enrolled. This school was located on the south side of FM 1626 near the present site of Rail Road Bar B Que. In addition to these schools, there was a Hispanic school located on the north side of FM 1626 on Polk Rd.
It is believed that somewhere around 1956 the three schools consolidated. In 1962, the school became part of the Manchaca-Oak Hill School District and in 1967 the Manchaca-Oak Hill Rural School District was annexed by the Austin Independent School District. In 1976, the current facility opened at the northwest corner of Manchaca Rd. and FM 1626 replacing the old school which was across the street, and is the present site of a Lutheran Church.
Over the years, the schools in the Manchaca area have contributed to the education of many children in the community.
Last Modified: Monday, May 24, 2010 10:04 AM
