Denton in Denton County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Denton Senior High School
The first free city of Denton school opened in 1884. After the building burned in 1908, another school was built at the same site. When John B. Denton College closed in 1912, high school students were moved to the former college building, which sat on a 10.7 acre campus. This red brick building was constructed in 1924 on the north end of the college campus and opened in the fall with an enrollment of 478 senior high school students; junior high classes remained in the old John B. Denton building.
Amos O'Neil "Prof" Calhoun (1891-1973), principal of the school in the old John B. Denton building, moved to the new structure to become principal when it opened. He held the post for the next 33 years, retiring at the end of the 1956-57 school year. Calhoun was the only principal to serve during the building's time as a senior high school. When a new high school on Fulton Street opened in 1957, this building became Denton Junior High School. The name was changed to Congress Junior High in 1969 and was again changed in 1982 to Calhoun Junior High, in honor of its former principal. The campus became a middle school in 1992. The building has continued in use with additional wings.
Fort Worth architect Wiley G. Clarkson designed this imposing three-story classical revival style schoolhouse, with 24 classrooms, offices, laboratories, an auditorium, a gymnasium and a library. The symmetrical main facade is divided into five bays by a projecting central entry and corner piers. The exterior is brick with Lueders limestone trim. A central flight of stairs leads to the second-story entrance, and the words "Senior High School" are inscribed into the stone over the central bay.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2009
Marker is property of the State of Texas
Erected 2009 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 15689.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education.
Location. 33° 13.149′ N, 97° 8.408′ W. Marker is in Denton, Texas, in Denton County. Marker is on West Congress Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 709 W Congress Street, Denton TX 76201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mounts-Wright House (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Simmons-Maxwell House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mounts House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Christal House (approx. ¼ mile away); Lipscomb-Doggett House (approx. ¼ mile away); Scripture-Deavenport House (approx. ¼ mile away); Martin-Russell House (approx. ¼ mile away); James Newton and Eva Tabor Rayzor House (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Denton.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. This page has been viewed 239 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 3, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.