1 mile southwest was site of
Bay View College
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A N P A T R I C I O C O U N T Y |
Marker Text: An Important school of the coastal region, founded for scattered south Texas ranch children, by Thomas M. Clark (1856-1943) and Alice Yantis Clark (1857-1913) of the family that founded Texas Christian University. The Clarks utilized 2-story 'Hotel Portland", opened 1891 but soon idled by national business recession, with Mrs. Mollie Allen Turner as associate, they opened Bay View College in Sept. 1894, teaching primary through junior college subjects. Mrs. Clark, who also managed "the home" for boarders, taught painting; Clark, music and literary subjects. Recreation included riding (on student-owned horses). House parties at patron George Fulton's Rincon Ranch (12 mi. NE), and an annual San Jacinto day sail on Corpus Christi Bay, in 1897 the first bachelor of letters degrees were awarded to a class of three: Wallace Clark, Lucille Long, Ed Rachel.
In time, a 2-story boys dormitory, a gymnasium, and a 2-story chapel stood on campus. Students came from 70 Texas counties, 12 other states, and Mexico. Some Bay View graduates went on to senior colleges and entered professions. Many remained in ranching. In 1916 a hurricane destroyed most of the building. A day school session was held the next winter in the chapel, but the college formally closed in 1917. (1973) |
Marker No: 6340
Aluminum 27 x 42 Subject Marker
Geographic: 27.868124, -97.322525
Location: 154 Elm Street and 1st Avenue, Violet Andrews Park now when this picture was taken T.M. Clark School, Austin Street at Daniel Moore. Portland
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