Historical Marker

Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

McALLEN WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1904 AND A SMALL “COMMON” SCHOOL SERVED THE COMMUNITY. THE TOWN WAS INCORPORATED IN 1911 AND McALLEN COMMON SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS FORMED IN 1915. THE McALLEN SCHOOL BOARD BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF A SCHOOL THAT WOULD SERVE THE HISPANIC POPULATION. THE SCHOOL, NAMED AFTER THEODORE ROOSEVELT, THE 26TH PRESIDENT, OPENED IN JANUARY 1921. AN ANNEX DESIGNED BY RALPH CAMERON OF SAN ANTONIO WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1927. ITS UNIQUE PRE-COLUMBIAN INDIAN TRIM WAS ORIGINALLY UNPAINTED. ZARA THIGPEN WAS THE PRINCIPAL, SERVING FROM 1921 UNTIL THE SCHOOL CLOSED IN THE 1960s. THE SCHOOL BECAME A McALLEN LANDMARK IN 2009.