St. Thomas High School

Established 1900 as St. Thomas College, and housed that year in a former Franciscan monastery built in 1861 at Franklin Avenue and Caroline Street. The founders were the Rev. Nicholas Roche, C. S. B., and two other Basilian fathers. (Their order originated in France in 1822 and expanded into Canada in 1850; the Basilians in Houston were the first in Texas.) When original school suffered hurricane damage, the fathers relocated at Capitol and Main. In 1903 permanency was assured when Father Roche bought a block of land at Austin and Hadley and constructed Houston's first college preparatory school for boys. Thanks to the foresight of a native Texan, the Rev. T. P. O'Rourke, C. S. B., educator and author, St. Thomas High School in 1940 moved to this site on the bank of Buffalo Bayou. Father A. L. Higgins directed the building of the new plant, which has expanded in later years. During Houston's 20th century growth into a focus of world culture, St. Thomas High School has trained men of vision and responsibility, winners of national and international fame: statesmen, churchmen, artists, historians, athletes, civic and business leaders, industrial pioneers, and citizens of many talents.

St. Thomas High School is a historical marker in Houston, Harris County, dedicated in 1970. It is one of 406 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 781 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.7619, -95.4080 near Houston. The nearest cataloged historic site is Beth Yeshurun-Allen Parkway Cemetery (cemetery), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include College Memorial Park Cemetery, Star Engraving Company Building, and Neuhaus, Hugo V., Jr. House.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5201010764. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.