Historical Marker
Murrell School
Historical marker location:
Gatesville, Texas
( From Gatesville, go west on US Hwy 84 approx. 1 mile to intersection with FM 2412. Turn right on FM 2412, proceed approx. 8 miles to intersection with CR 174. Turn right and proceed approx. 1.5 miles to intersection with CR 107. The schoolhouse is near that intersection)
Marker installed: 2010
MURRELL SCHOOL
MANY OF THIS AREA’S EARLY SETTLERS CAME FROM SARDIS, MISSISSIPPI, ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY NAMED FOR POSTMASTER JOE ATER. LEMUEL MURRELL, ANOTHER EARLY RESIDENT, BUILT A LOG SCHOOLHOUSE IN THE LATE 1870s. ALABAMA NATIVE ROBERT EARL TIMMONS WAS THE FIRST TEACHER. IN THE LATE 1800s, MURRELL SCHOOL HAD NEARLY 100 STUDENTS IN ITS ATTENDANCE AREA. A NEW MURRELL SCHOOLHOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1909-10, WITH A THIRD ROOM ADDED TO THE FRAME BUILDING IN 1920. THE SCHOOL YEAR OFTEN STARTED IN MID-OCTOBER, AFTER STUDENTS HELPED THEIR FAMILIES HARVEST LOCAL COTTON CROPS. MURRELL SCHOOL CONSOLIDATED WITH JONESBORO SCHOOL IN 1948. TODAY, THE MURRELL SCHOOLHOUSE IS ONE OF FEW STANDING RURAL SCHOOLS IN CORYELL COUNTY.
(2010).