Corsicana in Navarro County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Corsicana State Home
Photographed by Jeff Leichsenring, August 31, 2026
1. Corsicana State Home Marker
Created by the 20th Legislature in 1887, the State Orphan Asylum originally provided care for orphans under age 14. State officials located the institution in Corsicana after local citizens donated over 200 acres at this site. The first students arrived in 1889, and by 1890 enrollment totaled 54. Classes met in the chapel before a school building was erected in 1889. By 1897 the institution had an independent school district.
Renamed State Orphan Home before 1899, the facility housed about 400 students in 1900. Here they received academic and vocational instruction. The campus once had extensive farmlands to supply food and provide agricultural training for students. Physical facilities were enlarged as enrollment increased. During the Depression of the 1930s, residents numbered over 800.
The campus school was phased out at the end of the 1955-56 academic year, and students transferred to Corsicana public schools. In 1957 the home was placed under jurisdiction of the Texas Youth Council and was renamed Corsicana State Home.
Thousands of children have benefited from the care and schooling provided by the home.
this page online
Erected 1977 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 11609.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.
Location. 32° 4.537′ N, 96° 30.422′ W. Marker is in Corsicana, Texas, in Navarro County. It is on North 45th Street 0.1 miles north of Skylane Ave, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 410 N 45th St, Corsicana TX 75110, 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, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Calvert Hall (here, next
Photographed by Jeff Leichsenring, August 31, 2026
2. Corsicana State Home Marker
Marker is on the left; Meritt Drane marker (23646) is on the right
Credits. This page was last revised on September 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2026, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. This page has been viewed 23 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 31, 2026, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
