Lincoln High School
Also known as: Anderson County Community Council Community Center
Why it's listed
Lincoln High School at 920 W. Swantz Street in Palestine, Texas, is a two-story brick school with Classical Revival elements, a symmetrical facade, small porticoes and a dentiled brick parapet. The school board ordered it built in 1922 after fire destroyed the earlier frame high school for African American students. The local firm Rountree and Skelton completed the six-room building for just over $21,000, and classes began in January 1923. A 1934 annex and a 1937-38 gymnasium designed by Theodore S. Maffitt followed as enrollment grew. It was the city's only high school for Black students until a new one opened in 1953, after which it served as a junior high and elementary school until 1970. Today it is the last remaining school in Palestine built for the African American community, and its brick construction marked a major shift from earlier frame schools. A community council now uses it for social services and is renovating it slowly.
Significance in brief: It is the last remaining school in Palestine built exclusively for African American students, and it served that community for over fifty years. It is significant under Criterion A for ethnic Black heritage and under Criterion C as a noteworthy example of early 20th century institutional architecture. The brick construction marked a dramatic departure from the frame schools previously provided to the Black community.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000636, listed June 3, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 920 W. Swantz St., Palestine |
|---|---|
| County | Anderson County |
| Listed | June 3, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000636 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Rountree & Skelton, builders (1922-23); Maffitt, Theo S., architect (1937) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now houses the Anderson County Community Council, which provides social services and is slowly renovating the building; described as in only fair condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.75582, -95.64080 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000636.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001118
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.