Portland in San Patricio County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Site of Bay View College
Photographed by Jim Evans, October 6, 2018
1. Site of Bay View College Marker
An important school of the coastal region, founded for scattered South Texas ranch children, by Thomas M. (1856-1943) and Alice Yantis Clark (1857-1913), of the family that founded Texas Christian University. The Clarks utilized 2-story "Hotel Portland", opened 1891 but soon idled by national business recession. With Mrs. Mollie Allen Turner as associate, they opened Bay View College in Sept. 1894, teaching primary through junior college subjects. Mrs. Clark, who also managed "The Home" for boarders, taught painting; Clark, music and literary subjects. Recreation included riding (on student-owned horses), house parties at patron George Fulton's Rincon Ranch (12 miles northeast), and an annual San Jacinto Day sail on Corpus Christi Bay. The first Bachelor of Letters degrees were awarded to a class of three: Wallace Clark, Lucille Long, Ed Rachal.
In time, a 2-story boys' dormitory, a gymnasium, and a 2-story chapel stood on campus. Students came from 70 Texas counties, 12 other states, and Mexico. Some Bay View graduates went on to senior colleges and entered professions, many remained in ranching. In 1916 , a hurricane destroyed most of the buildings. A day school session was held the next winter in the chapel, but the college formally closed in 1917.
(1973)
Erected
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891.
Location. 27° 52.217′ N, 97° 19.375′ W. Marker is in Portland, Texas, in San Patricio County. It is at the intersection of Elm Street and 1st Avenue, on the right when traveling south on Elm Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 211 Elm St, Portland TX 78374, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Site of Indian Point Mass Grave of 1919 Hurricane Victims (approx. 2 miles away); Reef Road (approx. 2.1 miles away); Chat Work Club (approx. 2.1 miles away); Gregory (approx. 4.1 miles away); Joseph French Green and La Quinta Mansion (approx. 4.1 miles away); Gregory Schools (approx. 4.3 miles away); Texas Section American Society of Civil Engineers (approx. 5.2 miles away); 1919 Storm (approx. 5.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.
More about this marker. Marker has been moved at least once, so this may or may not be the location of the college
Also see . . .
1. Article from the Caller Times. Part of the article is a picture of the class of 1901 (Submitted on October 25, 2018, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)
2. From the Handbook of Texas. (Submitted on October 25, 2018, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)
Photographed by Jim Evans, October 6, 2018
2. Site of Bay View College
3. . A newspaper picture of Bay View College Chapel (Submitted on October 25, 2018, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)
Photographed by Jim Evans, October 6, 2018
3. Site of Bay View College Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2018, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,086 times since then and 138 times this year. Last updated on December 26, 2025, by Joe Lotz of Flower Mound, Texas. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 9, 2018, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
