Place: Palm School
Located at: 744 TX-343 Loop, Austin, TX 78701
Year Built: Originally built in 1892, with five major additions. The old Palm School Building served as an elementary school for 84 years before closing in 1976. The school served students from east Austin, many of which were Mexican-American. The creation of I-35 caused the school to be cut off from the community it served, which lead to its closing. Today, Travis County owns the property .
#ThisPlaceMatters because…
“This place matters due to its significance to the heritage of Austin’s Mexican-American population and greater east Austin community. The school is adjacent to Waller Creek, which was a popular spot for the community to enjoy fun on a hot summer day. Today, its prime location on I-35 and Cesar Chavez makes the site ripe for redevelopment. As Austin has grown over the years, it has come at the expense of demolishing our history. Latino culture and historic sites are endangered as Austin’s downtown grows east of I-35. Palm school should be saved to tell the untold story of Austin’s Mexican-American heritage. It will also serve as a gateway from downtown to East Austin, providing today’s families a place to escape from the Texas sun, while learning about our City’s past.”
Check our more on the history of the Palm School (and some awesome historic photos) here!
