Site of Masonic Academy
Brenham, Washington County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Replaced Hickory Grove School, organized 1840. Land was given to Graham Lodge No. 20, A.F. & A.M.; lodge built Masonic Academy in 1849, only school in the area. Texas Public School Act of 1875 caused academy to close, and property sale proceeds were given to Brenham public school. (1973)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Replacing the Hickory Grove School organized in 1840, the Masonic Academy was built in 1849 on land given to Graham Lodge No. 20 — for a time the only school in the area. It served the community until the Texas Public School Act of 1875 prompted its closing, after which the proceeds from selling the property were turned over to the Brenham public school.
Why it matters
The academy reflects how fraternal lodges and private subscription funded frontier education in the decades before Texas built a statewide public school system.
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Related events
- · Texas Public School Act of 1875
Themes & tags
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