Details for Starrville Community Center

Historical Marker — Atlas Number 5507017352

Data

Marker Number 17352
Atlas Number 5507017352
Marker Title Starrville Community Center
Index Entry Starrville Community Center
Address 17936 FM 16 E
City Winona
County Smith
UTM Zone
UTM Easting
UTM Northing
Subject Codes buildings; vernacular
Marker Year 2012
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Yes
Marker Location 17936 FM 16 E, South side of FM 16 E, 1 mile East of Starrville Well Historical Marker
Private Property No
Marker Condition In Situ
Marker Size 27" x 42"
Marker Text STARRVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER STARRVILLE WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE I.W. HALL SURVEY AND, BY 1849, THE TOWN HAD BECOME A STOP ON THE DALLAS-SHREVEPORT ROAD. IN 1852, REVEREND JOSHUA STARR BOUGHT THE LAND AND BEGAN SELLING TOWN LOTS. DURING THE SUMMER OF 1862, STARRVILLE WAS THE SITE OF GEN. HENRY McCULLOCH’S C.S.A. ARMY ENCAMPMENT IN PREPARATION FOR THE MARCH TO LITTLE ROCK. DURING THE LATE 1870s, LOCAL LEADERS REFUSED TO ALLOW THE RAILROAD TO RUN A LINE THROUGH TOWN AND RESIDENTS BEGAN MOVING TO WINONA. THE POST OFFICE MOVED TO WINONA IN 1907. A NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1927 BECAUSE BAKER SPRINGS SCHOOLS CONSOLIDATED INTO THE STARRVILLE SCHOOLS. BY 1952, THE SCHOOL WAS ABSORBED INTO THE GLADEWATER SYSTEM AND LATER WINONA SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE SCHOOL, BUILT IN 1927, IS DESIGNED IN VERNACULAR STYLE WITH DOUBLE DROPPED SIDING. THE INTERIOR WAS BUILT WITH A SLOPING FLOOR AND SLIDING WOODEN DOORS THAT SEPARATE THE AREA INTO CLASSROOMS. AN AUDITORIUM WAS ADDED IN 1930 WHERE PLAYS AND MUSICALS WERE PERFORMED. LOCAL CARPENTERS FINIS WALTERS, LANCE LOWRY AND FRANK ALBA CONSTRUCTED THE SCHOOL. THROUGH THE YEARS, THE SCHOOL HAS ALSO SERVED AS A POLLING CENTER, THE SITE OF SMITH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, OLD TIMERS REUNION, WEDDINGS, AND RECEPTIONS. IN THE 1940s, TWO ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHOOL WERE DONATED TO THE WATERS BLUFF AREA TO PROVIDE SCHOOLS FOR LOCAL CHILDREN. THE CENTER IS OPERATED AND MAINTAINED BY THE STARRVILLE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE. THE COMMUNITY CENTER REMAINS A TESTAMENT TO THE PEOPLE’S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION AND THEIR STRONG COMMUNITY SPIRIT. RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK – 2012
ATLAS_NUM=5507017352

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