Galveston in Galveston County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Ball High School
Photographed By James Hulse, August 14, 2021
1. Ball High School Marker
A contract was signed with the George Locke and Co. Construction firm on January 15, 1884, and the corner stone was laid one month later. The stone was inscribed "George Ball to the Children of Galveston." Ball died the following month, before the school was completed.
The first graduation ceremony at the school took place on May 31, 1887. Members of the Ball family continued to support the school, and public donations helped rebuild the school following the 1900 storm.
Ball High School opened at its present location in 1955. It was merged with Central High School in 1969. Many people prominent in Galveston history graduated from Ball High School, including Albert Lasker, John Sealy, and Marion Levy. The school continues its century-old tradition of educating Galveston's young people.
Erected 1988 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 62.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic
this page online
Location. 29° 17.282′ N, 94° 48.648′ W. Marker is in Galveston, Texas, in Galveston County. Marker is at the intersection of Avenue O and Jack Johnson Blvd (Road 41st), on the left when traveling west on Avenue O. The marker is located on the northeast wall of Ball High School. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4115 Avenue O, Galveston TX 77550, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ball High School Memorial (here, next to this marker); Thomas Henry Borden (approx. 0.2 miles away); Moody Hall (approx. ¼ mile away); Baden-Sproule House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Michel B. Menard (approx. 0.3 miles away); Samuel May Williams (approx. 0.4 miles away); Louis Trezevant Wigfall (approx. 0.4 miles away); Nahor Biggs Yard (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Galveston.
Also see . . .
1. Ball, George (1817–1884).
George Ball was born in Saratoga, New York, on May 9, 1817. At the age of twelve he moved to Albany, where he was reared and trained for business in the family of his uncle. He arrived in Texas during the cholera epidemic of 1839 and in Galveston opened a dry goods business, which he operated in partnership with his(Submitted on August 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)brother Albert. Source: The Handbook of TexasPhotographed By James Hulse, August 14, 20212. The Ball High School Marker and memorial plaque
2. Ball High School.
In the summer of 1883, a local dry goods businessman, George Ball, communicated his intention to support the establishment of a public high school in Galveston via a brief and simple note to the Galveston City Council. It read: "If the authorities of this city will furnish appropriate and sufficient grounds centrally located, I will contribute $50,000 for the erection of a building to be permanently dedicated to the use of the public free schools of the City of Galveston...I will be pleased to carry [this proposal] into the earliest effect with the hope that it may prove useful to the community with which I have been long identified and whose future welfare I most earnestly desire." Source: Wikipedia(Submitted on August 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, August 14, 2021
3. The northeast corner of Ball High School
Credits. This page was last revised on August 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 395 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
