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Published: July 30th 2019
Old Nacogdoches University Building
from Mound St.
redbud tree
side view
older picIn 1845 the Republic of Texas chartered the Old Nacogdoches University Building as one of the first six colleges in Texas. This university building was constructed in 1858-1859 (Texas was a new US State then) at a cost of $10,500 USD. Classes started there in 1859. The "Red House" is where they started classes in 1845; and classes were held in other buildings all at or near the downtown Nacogdoches Square until the university building was completed in 1859.
In 1904 All of Washington Square was deeded to Nacogdoches Independent School District (NISD). The Rusk Building (also called the "Old Red Building") was added to Washington Square in the 1910s as the first Nacogdoches High School. The other nice buildings were added later. In 1939 the "White Building" was finished as the new Nacogdoches High School where I graduated long ago. The Nacogdoches High School got a newer and better campus (1980s) on the North Loop 224 at the Appleby Sands Road; while the old high school became the Thomas Jefferson Rusk Junior High School. After 9-11-2001 an administration building was changed to the school campus police department.
The Old Nacogdoches University Building is the oldest College building in
Old Nac Univ Building
from Mound St.
redbud tree
side view
older pic Texas, then on 21 acres not far North from the downtown Nacogdoches Square. This is the oldest (or second oldest) brick building in Nacogdoches. The Bricks were made by hand here (from local clay) and dried by the sun, and that was a "boatload" of bricks. The building floors are original except some places that were replaced by necessity. During the US Civil War (1861-1865) this building was used as a confederate hospital (1863-1866). The Civil war battles in Texas were all navel battles around Galveston, Galveston bay, and maybe a few navigable rivers. After that very bad war the university building was occupied by Union troops, then later back to being the university (college) again. After 1904, when the Old Nac Univ Building, and all of Washington Square, was deeded to the NISD, it continued as an educational facility until the 1960s, when it became a historic museum. While still owned by NISD, the Old Nac Univ Building was managed by the Nacogdoches Historical Society; then now managed by the Federation of Woman's Clubs.
The entry foyer has three original 1986 Bruce Cunningham paintings and the cantilevered stairwell to the second floor. There are other good exhibits in
Old Nac Univ Building
from Mound St.
side view the foyer.
The first floor has a small kitchen on the left (West) beside the foyer that used a fireplace to cook food. Now they have a modern kitchen there to cook for groups that have meetings at the university building.
The first floor left (West) is the parlor. There you can see the Diedrich Rulfs (our great German born architect and construction supervisor) nice old red chairs. There is a nice gold leaf mirror on the wall. Next is a rare Stephen F Austin made map of Texas. There are some other nice artifacts to see in the parlor. They have an older copy of Karle Wilson Baker's poem book "The Birds of Tanglewood". They also have the nice first edition 2007 book "More Tales of Early Texas" that is signed by the author and illustrator.
The first floor right (East) is the dining room. The first thing to notice is the fine old upright piano used at the Nacogdoches Old Opera House. The piano at the opera house was used at a performance of the Marks Brothers. (From the old 1930s movies, it was Chico Marx that played the piano in the Old Opera House.)
Old Nac Univ Building
TJ Rusk Elementary School
side view (of both buildings) There is two nice old mirrors there including another gold leaf mirror on the wall. In that gold leaf mirror I got a reflection pic of a nice Sam Houston painting. The 1850 Seth Thomas Clock is there on exhibit there.
Going up the stairs to the second floor is an Caddo Native American exhibit. Next to that exhibit is the bell rope to a nice functional large bell in the copula. This bell was cast by the same company that made the original US Liberty bell in Philadelphia, PA.
On the right (East) is the University Presidents office with many old historical maps and paintings. Included in this office is the original desk for the great poet Karle Wilson Baker. Karle was a German born poet that taught classes at the Old Nacogdoches University Building. Later in 1923 she taught poetry classes at the Stephen F Austin Teachers College; that later became Stephen F Austin State College, then Stephen F Austin State University (SFASU) where I graduated many years ago.
The main second floor large room museum served as a classroom and the Civil War hospital. The museum has a large section of the Civil War
Old Nac Univ Building
from Mound St.
side view artifacts and paintings. The painting I like the most is the one with Robert E Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, and Johnson (who I am not familiar with). During the Civil War the whole building was used for a hospital.
On the West side (over the kitchen) is the Presidents living quarters with its own nice artifacts. It has a small bedroom with personal washing artifacts.
When you visit a free historic museum, please sign in their register to help with the funding to keep the site open. Also if you enjoy your visit please leave a small donation...pocket change is OK. Every room in the Old Nacogdoches University Building is full of very nice old artifacts for free viewing. For safety reasons, none of the fireplaces in the museum are functional now.
Also in Washington Square is the nice brick Auditorium & Gymnasium was completed in 1927. Later the nice brick Gymnasium-Band Hall was completed in 1958. Both brick Gymnasiums still stand next to the Old Nacogdoches University Building, and may still be used for educational functions.
Washington square is now bordered on the North by Hughes Street, East on historic Mound Street, South on Arnold Street,
and West on Fredonia Street.
Just North of Hughes Street is a statue and Historic Marker for Karle Wilson Baker at her Tangewood home-site, where she wrote her best known poetry book "The Birds of Tanglewood". Karle was an instructor of poetry at the Old Nac Univ Building, then later at the new 1923 Stephen F Austin Teachers college. Now that historic statue site is home to a fraternity house of SFASU. Karle and Dietrich Rulfs were good friends for professional reasons; but one factor for their friendship was they both spoke German as their primary language.
Most of my pics (photos) where shot on 7-2-19; with the older pics shot on my visits here from 2016 to 2018. Newer pics were shot on 7-16-19 to fill in the gaps when I learned more about the Old Nacogdoches University Building. With direct sunlight glare from the many windows, my photography was difficult at times. I have enjoyed my visits to the Old Nac Univ Building, and getting to chat with their historians.
completed
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Morgan03
Morgan
OUB Bell
Very nice work describing a building with such a long and diverse history! As with many stories and traditions that begin with observations and pondering, the story about the bell in the cupola of the OUB is not exactly true. During maintenance, the workers who climbed up into the place where the bell is housed were able to get a clear view of the markings on the bell. It is marked "Henry N. Hooper." Hooper was an apprentice of Paul Revere in Boston and is best known for his work making lighting fixtures. Some of his work is now in the Met. I'd love to see that! Interestingly, there are no records in the OUB collection that explain how this bell got to Nacogdoches or who purchased it. The timing of the building's construction and Hooper's work line up, and we know several businessmen in the area gave money for the land and for the building. Even though the bell was not made by the same company that cast the Liberty Bell, the Old University Building's bell has a connection even a little closer to home and offers a great opportunity to see (and hear!) some wonderful artistry - they'll let you ring the bell!