Becker School
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Herman Becker (1857-1933) operated a successful downtown café, and he bought part of the historic Bouldin homestead in south Austin in 1891. His son H.E. Becker and son-in-law P.A. Wilde, proprietors of the Becker Lumber Company, donated three acres of Bouldin land to the Austin Independent School District in 1935 for a new school site. The firm of Giesecke and Harris designed the building, which opened in October 1936. A new wing added three years later more than doubled the school's size. The Art Deco style sections feature brick cladding with limestone columns, pilasters, belt courses and decorative insets, with contrasting materials emphasizing simple geometric forms. The campus includes several later additions. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2007
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When café owner Herman Becker bought part of the old Bouldin homestead in south Austin in 1891, he set the stage for a neighborhood school: in 1935 his son and son-in-law, owners of Becker Lumber Company, donated three acres to the school district. Designed by Giesecke and Harris, the Art Deco building opened in 1936 and nearly doubled in size within three years. Later additions rounded out the campus.
Why it matters
The school reflects how family philanthropy and Depression-era public building expanded education in a growing Austin.
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Related people
- · Herman Becker
- · H.E. Becker
- · P.A. Wilde
Themes & tags
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