German American Ladies College
1604 E. 11th St., Austin, TXConstructed in 1876, the house at 1604 E. 11th Street is significant as an example of a vernacular, wood frame, Greek Revival residence in Austin as well as for its ties to local education. The German American Ladies College, a private all-girls day school, operated here from 1877 until 1881, which is when Austin’s public school system began formal operations. Because of the difficulties establishing a public school system in post-Civil War Austin, private schools played a critical and valuable role in producing an educated citizenry. The German American Ladies College’s closure coincides with the closure of many private schools across the city, but the building itself continued its important associations with education in Austin as the seat of a prominent and influential family of teachers.
The German American Ladies College was designated a City of Austin Historic Landmark in 1979. It is now nominated to the National Register of Historic Places at the local level of significance under Criterion A in the area of education and Criterion C in the area of architecture. The period of significance is 1876, which coincides with the original period of significance, through 1937, which is the terminus of its important educational associations.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.