Dayton's Old School
Dayton, Liberty County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Dayton began as part of the City of Liberty. The children who lived here were either educated at home, across the river in the main part of Liberty, or not at all. In 1849, a board of trustees formed a committee to establish a school for these children. A new school site was purchased from the Lowery estate for $90.00 and was bounded by Main, Houston, and Cleveland streets. The building was a two-room school with two teachers and 35 students ranging from 1st to 7th grades. It was open from the fall of 1900 to the spring of 1910. It was then sold to W. T. Jamison and Joe Entzminger who moved the building to its current location at 111 West Houston Street. In 1923, Walter and Ivy Jamison bought the building for their residence. Ivy served the Dayton ISD for 29 years until 1964. The family sold the historic school to the Dayton Historical Society in 2001. The Dayton Historical Society saved the building from being condemned. Through fundraising they were able to purchase the building and restore it to its historic appearance. It now houses the Dayton Old School Museum, which was dedicated in April 2007. The original building was 40 ft x 36 ft and was designed in the Prairie style, built of Cypress wood with a pier and beam foundation. The high pitched roof gable was topped with a cupola for circulation. Dayton's Old School has been a landmark in this community for more than a century, standing in the same location since 1911. It has stood the test of time, surviving several major tornadoes and hurricanes. As it was 100 years ago, it is still a dynamic place of learning for Dayton's citizens. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2014
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When Dayton was still part of Liberty, its children had few options for schooling until trustees established a school in 1849. This two-room Prairie-style building, built of cypress and topped with a cupola, served students from 1900 to 1910 before being moved and later converted to a residence. Saved from condemnation by the Dayton Historical Society in 2001 and restored, it reopened in 2007 as the Dayton Old School Museum, having survived a century of tornadoes and hurricanes.
Why it matters
The Old School traces the enduring American commitment to public education in small towns, and the grassroots preservation movements that rescue such landmarks from demolition.
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Themes & tags
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