Austin High School - John T. Allan Campus

An ornate, red brick building at this site served as the first structure in town built for the public high school, founded in 1881. Construction of the facility was hastened when the classrooms in the former temporary State Capitol at 11th and Congress were destroyed by fire. Completed in 1900 from the plans of Bert McDonald and James Reily, “Old Red” featured a domed rotunda. As the school grew, additions were made to the original structure. Under the supervision of principal James E. Pearce, 1895-1918, an superintendent A. N. McCallum 1903-1942, Austin high school developed a quality academic program. Innovations included the John T. Allan manual training center and one of the earliest domestic arts (home economics) departments in the nation. The buildings here could no longer accommodate the growing Austin high school by 1925 and plans were made to utilize the larger junior high campus at the corner of 12th and Rio Grande. The switch was made during the Thanksgiving holidays of that year and “Old Red” became John T Allen Junior high school. Classes were held at the site until 1956, when the complex was destroyed by fire. (1981)

Austin High School - John T. Allan Campus is a historical marker in Austin, Travis County, dedicated in 1981. It is one of 336 historical markers documented in Travis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 641 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.2702, -97.7380 near Austin. The nearest cataloged historic site is Federal Office Building (historic place), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Moonlight Towers, German Free School, and Saint Mary's Cathedral.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015360. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.