Lampasas Colored School
Why it's listed
Built in 1923 at 514 College Street, the Lampasas Colored School is a two-room limestone schoolhouse with a low gable roof, rubble walls, corner quoins and a stone belt course. It replaced an earlier wooden school on the same lot, funded through a 1922 bond issue that also paid for work on the white schools. Additions came in 1948, when an entry foyer, indoor restrooms and a stage extension were built, and in 1959, when a concrete block kitchen was added. The school served Black students until Lampasas public schools integrated in 1963, and enrollment never exceeded 55 after it opened. Teachers and parents repeatedly sought better facilities, and students had limited access to white school facilities. It is the only remaining property directly associated with African American education in the community. Despite deterioration and alterations to its sides and rear, the front elevation remains intact, and the building keeps much of its original character.
Significance in brief: The school is the sole surviving property directly tied to African American education in Lampasas and reflects the era of legally mandated segregated schools. It served Black children for over sixty years, until public schools integrated in 1963. It is also a late and unusually substantial stone example compared with most Black schools in Texas, which were wood or brick.
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 02000404, listed April 24, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 514 College St., Lampasas |
|---|---|
| County | Lampasas County |
| Listed | April 24, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000404 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923-1963 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | No style (vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant, work in progress; the building has suffered from lack of maintenance and its interior finishes are damaged or dilapidated. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.06542, -98.26764 (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 02000404.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001264
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.