Ursuline Academy
Why it's listed
This group of eight buildings at 300 Augusta in San Antonio once housed the Ursuline Academy, a school for girls. The sisters arrived in 1847, and the first academy building went up in 1851. It is a two-story structure of caliche rammed earth, known as pise de terre, and is described as the largest such building in Texas. Jules Poincard, a French architect living in San Antonio, was probably its designer and builder. Later work includes a dormitory with a clock tower begun in 1866, a Gothic Revival chapel finished by 1870, a residence used as a workshop in 1872, and a Priest's House in 1882. The nomination describes the ensemble as ecclesiastical architecture unique to Texas and ties it to the Ursuline order's educational work in the state. The school moved to a new site in 1965. At nomination, the complex was vacant and deteriorated, a school building had burned, and ownership was split between a conservation society and a private estate.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the buildings form an ecclesiastical complex unique to Texas, including the largest known rammed-earth (caliche pise) building in the state. It also records the Ursuline order's role in Catholic education in Texas, and cites the 1882 Priest's House as an excellent example of late Gothic Revival architecture.
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 69000201, listed November 25, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 300 Augusta St., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | November 25, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000201 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Jules Poincard (French architect, probably architect and builder of the first building); Frances Giraud (probable builder of post-Civil War buildings); Rev. Dubuis (architect and builder of the 1853 addition) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (chapel and Priest's House); rammed-earth (pise de terre) construction for the first Academy building |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked deteriorated and use listed as vacant. A classroom/school building and a dormitory addition were damaged or destroyed by fire, and parts of the property were described as in danger of destruction. |
| Acreage | 4.4 |
| Coordinates | 29.43125, -98.49161 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 69000201.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q110000186
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.