Bonham in Fannin County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Carlton College

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 2, 2026

1. Carlton College Marker

Inscription. Formally chartered in 1881, Carlton College began under the direction of Charles Carlton (1821-1902) as the Bonham Female Institute. Carlton, a native of England and a Disciples of Christ minister, had come to Bonham in 1867 to take charge of the institute, which soon became a coeducational school known as Bonham Seminary. Carlton, several of his children, and his second wife, Sallie, taught many of the classes at his Bonham schools. In 1882, the first of several Carlton College buildings was constructed in this block of East Tenth Street.

Carlton College admitted all young men and women who demonstrated a sincere desire for education. As the Carltons grew older, they decided to limit enrollment, and the college became an all-female school in 1887. By the time of Carlton's death in 1902, approximately 3600 pupils had attended his schools in Bonham.

Carlton College declined with the death of its founder and in 1914 was merged with a school in Sherman to form Carr-Burdette College. When that institution closed in 1916, the graduates of Carlton were adopted into the alumni fellowship of Texas Christian University in

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Fort Worth.

Erected 1995 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 8853.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.

Location. 33° 34.958′ N, 96° 10.556′ W. Marker is in Bonham, Texas, in Fannin County. It is on East 10th Street east of Chestnut Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 E 10th St, Bonham TX 75418, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region.

It is also in the American South.

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,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Risser Hospital (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); On Route of Early Texas Streetcars (approx. 0.2 miles

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 2, 2026

2. Carlton College Marker

away); First Presbyterian Church U.S. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bonham High School Auditorium and Gymnasium (approx. ¼ mile away); First Christian Church of Bonham (approx. ¼ mile away); Site of Steger Opera House (approx. ¼ mile away); Confederate Commissary (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bonham.

Also see . . . History of Carlton College: A Legacy of Education in Texas. Carlton College began as a school founded by Charles Carlton in Kentucky Town, Fannin County, in 1866. It was probably the earliest Disciples of Christ school in Texas. It was moved to Bonham in 1867, when a committee acting on behalf of that city expressed interest in Carlton's school as a replacement for the failing Bonham Female Institute. (Deborah K. Kilgore, Handbook of Texas, Texas State Historical Association) (Submitted on July 25, 2026, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 25, 2026, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 25, 2026, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.