Waco High School
Also known as: Old Waco High School; Alternative High School; Metropolitan Learning Center
Why it's listed
Occupying an entire downtown block at 815 Columbus Avenue, the Waco High School complex includes a three-story Classical Revival school building, a Gothic Revival gymnasium, a mid-century modern music building and a flagpole donated by Texas Christian University. Architect Milton W. Scott designed the main building, completed in 1912, with buff brick walls, cast stone detailing and a monumental temple front of four fluted Ionic columns. It grew from a rectangle into an E-plan and then a square plan through additions in 1915, 1921 and 1929. The gymnasium followed in 1924, and Easterwood and Easterwood designed the music building in 1955. The school served as Waco's main high school from 1912 to 1971, first for white students only and then integrated in the late 1960s. It is the oldest surviving public school building in the city. After use as a learning center and alternative school, it has stood vacant, and rehabilitation into apartments is planned.
Significance in brief: The complex served as Waco's primary high school from 1912 through 1971 and is argued to be significant under Criterion A for its central role in the city's public education. It is also significant under Criterion C as an excellent example of high style institutional design. The school building is the oldest extant public school building in Waco.
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 09000140, listed March 17, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 815 Columbus, Waco |
|---|---|
| County | McLennan County |
| Listed | March 17, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000140 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-1959 |
| Architect / builder | Scott, Milton W.; Easterwood and Easterwood |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival, Late Gothic Revival; No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since the failed early-2000s educational center venture; plans exist to rehabilitate the school and gymnasium as residential rental units, with no new use yet set for the music building. |
| Acreage | 4.2 |
| Coordinates | 31.55796, -97.13797 (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 09000140.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7958849
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.