Bay City in Matagorda County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Site of Hilliard High School
Photographed By Jimmy Hulse, September 18, 2022
1. Site of Hilliard High School Marker
The Bay City African American community established a school in the 1890s, and A.A. Deleon served as its first teacher. Three others, A.G. Hilliard, A.P. Allen and J.J. Grundy, began shortly after the school opened. By 1904, the school's enrollment had outgrown the first building, so the community attained a larger one. The new school, a two-story frame structure, was named after noted educator Booker T. Washington and was adopted by the Bay City School District in 1905. By 1926, there were 225 students and only four teachers.Hilliard continued as teacher and later as principal at the school. Born in Georgia in 1863, he came to Texas in 1871 with his parents, Bunk and Mary, former slaves who strongly valued education. After his graduation from the Oakland Normal School, which opened in Gonzales in 1882 to train African American teachers, Mary encouraged her son to continue his education at Prairie View State Normal College. He taught in Bay City for 28 of his 48 years in education. He died in 1936 and is buried in Bay City's Eastview Cemetery with his wife, Pearl.
Recognizing Hilliard's contribution to the school, the
this page online
The ever-growing school needed a new building by the 1940s. Acclaimed architect Wyatt C. Hedrick designed a new facility, finished in 1948 at this site, where it served as Hilliard High School until 1967. The district then used it for two years as a junior high. Over the years, the school produced two state champion football teams and many other award-winning students, reflecting the community's pride and goals for its children.
Erected 2002 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12731.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.
Location. 28° 58.373′ N, 95° 58.844′ W. Marker is in Bay City, Texas, in Matagorda County. Marker is at the intersection of Letulle Avenue and Austin Street, on the right when traveling south on Letulle Avenue. The marker is located on the corner of the intersection set on a low level brick platform. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3008 Latulle Avenue, Bay City TX 77414, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mother Zion Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); First Baptist Church of Bay City
Photographed By Jimmy Hulse, September 18, 2022
2. Site of Hilliard High School and Marker
Also see . . . Booker T. Washington. Wikipedia
Washington mobilized a nationwide coalition of middle-class blacks, church leaders, and white philanthropists and politicians, with a long-term goal of building the community's economic strength and pride by a focus on self-help and schooling. With his own contributions to the Black community, Washington was a supporter of racial uplift, but secretly he also supported court challenges to segregation and to restrictions on voter registration.(Submitted on September 18, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By Jimmy Hulse, September 18, 2022
3. The view of the Site of Hilliard High School and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 293 times since then and 247 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 18, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
