Navarro, Jose Antonio, Elementary School
Also known as: Navarro Elementary School
Why it's listed
Jose Antonio Navarro Elementary School occupies a half-acre site at 623 South Pecos Street on the southwest edge of downtown San Antonio, facing Interstate 35. The historic core consists of three two-story load-bearing buildings with hipped roofs and wooden eaves supported by vertical consoles. The first, a 30 by 77 foot quarry-face masonry building, was completed in 1885. A second stone building followed in 1902, designed by Phelps and Shand, and a brick building was added later. Wrought iron detailing, stone lintels and circular wooden gable vents characterize the buildings. Further additions through 1930 brought the campus to 33 classrooms. The school was built to relieve crowding at Frank Johnson School and was listed as an excellent example of Victorian-Italianate design. It is among the oldest buildings of the San Antonio Independent School District and is named for Jose Antonio Navarro, an early Texas patriot who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. The form describes the buildings as a local landmark and adaptable for reuse.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of the Victorian-Italianate style once used for larger grammar schools, with German-Victorian influence in its masonry and wood detail. It is also one of the oldest school buildings in the district, and it served the changing community for almost a hundred years. The school is named for Jose Antonio Navarro, a prominent figure in early Texas history.
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 78002892, listed November 29, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 623 S. Pecos St., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | November 29, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002892 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885 |
| Architect / builder | Original architect and builder not known; the 1902 addition (Bldg. 3) was designed by Phelps and Shand, with the contract awarded to Klauss and Witte. |
| Architectural style | Victorian-Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Form marks the property as deteriorated, unoccupied, publicly owned and in educational use; described as highly adaptable for reuse. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 29.41983, -98.50260 (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 78002892.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000188
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.