San Jacinto Senior High School
Also known as: South End Junior High School; San Jacinto Memorial Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1914 as South End Junior High School, this three-story concrete building at 1300 Holman Street in Houston's Midtown sits on a C-shaped plan and is dominated by engaged monumental Doric columns. Art Deco towers join the original block to classical wings added in 1928 and 1936, and a gymnasium (1928) and band practice building (1951) complete the three contributing buildings. The Oklahoma City firm Layton & Smith designed the original school, Hedrick & Gottlieb the eastern wing, and Joseph Finger the western wing. The school was among the first junior high schools in Houston and later became San Jacinto Senior High School, a site for district experiments in vocational and adult education, including Houston Junior College in 1927. Notable alumni include Walter Cronkite and Denton Cooley. Interiors were heavily altered, though the auditorium, swimming pool, conservatory and terrazzo floors survive. Houston Community College used it as an administration building from 1978 until 2010, and it awaits rehabilitation.
Significance in brief: The school was one of Houston's first junior high schools and later hosted Houston Independent School District experiments in vocational and adult education, including Houston Junior College. Its architecture reflects the work of Layton & Smith, Hedrick & Gottlieb and Joseph Finger, combining Neo-Classical and Art Deco elements. It is significant at the local level under Criteria A (education) and C (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 12001000, listed December 4, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1300 Holman St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | December 4, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12001000 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1962 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Layton & Smith (1914 building)/ Builder: C. Hartmann Contracting, Inc.; Architect: Heddrick & Gottlieb (1928 wing); Architect: Joseph Finger (1936 wing) / Builder: Nathan Wohlfeld. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival; Modern Movement: Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used by Houston Community College as its central administration building from 1978 until vacated in 2010 before a planned major rehabilitation; described as currently vacant awaiting rehabilitation. |
| Acreage | 5.3 |
| Coordinates | 29.73925, -95.37682 (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 12001000.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000199
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.