Lubbock High School
Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The city of Lubbock experienced a significant increase in population during the 1920s as it became the agricultural, educational, service, and trade center of the South Plains. This high school was built out of the need for providing an eduction for the young people of the rapidly growing community. Designed by the Lubbock architectural firm of Peters, Strange and Bradshaw, the original building consists of two- and three-story classroom wings, offices, a gymnasium, and an auditorium, all constructed around two open courtyards. Over the years, as Lubbock's population increased, the facilities were expanded several times to meet the need. The richly ornamented, North Italian Romanesque style high school was completed in 1931, despite the beginnings of economic hardship resulting from the onset of the Great Depression. The building features decorative brickwork, terra cotta ornamentation, and a campanile, or bell tower. Lubbock High stands as a significant example of institutional architecture in Texas, as well as a local landmark known for its many students who became Lubbock's outstanding civic and community leaders. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
As Lubbock boomed in the 1920s into the agricultural and trade center of the South Plains, it needed a school to match, and Lubbock High School rose to meet the demand. Designed by the local firm of Peters, Strange and Bradshaw and completed in 1931 despite the onset of the Great Depression, the building is a striking example of North Italian Romanesque architecture, with decorative brickwork, terra cotta ornament, and a campanile bell tower. It has long been a community landmark and the training ground for many of Lubbock's civic leaders.
Why it matters
Finished in the teeth of the Depression, the school stands as a monument to a young city's faith in education and its investment in the next generation.
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