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City Building
by Bob Miles
T he old building at 205
E. Sul Ross Ave. in
Alpine has seen many
changes in its long life. Built in
1893, it replaced the original
two-room public school that
had been constructed at North
Fourth and Avenue E in 1888.
Student enrollment had
outgrown the original school,
and this new, larger adobe
brick building was constructed
for $7,000. Although records
don’t reveal particulars about the construction,
existing photographs show the same building that
stands today minus the bell tower. The first school
teacher was Wigfall Van Sickle, who had been
teaching in Uvalde. He was paid $75 a month.
The increasing enrollment soon led to the need
for a second teacher, and Miss Millie Harmon
was hired at $37.50 a month. This school served
to educate Alpine’s children until the castle-like
Central Ward School was constructed in 1910;
the Central Ward School was razed in 1970 to
make way for the present elementary school.
The old school building then served for a few
years as a clubhouse for a citizens’ organization
known as the Mountaineers’ Club, a purely social
club for men organized around 1909. It was considered
the most select social club in all of West
Texas, and membership was considered an
honor. When the original Mountaineers’ clubhouse
burned in the big Alpine fire of May 10,
1911, the members contracted with C.A Brown
to rent the old school, which Brown had purchased
from the school system. Although the
details have been lost, the structure was said to
have been remodeled into one of the finest club
rooms in West Texas. With the approach of
World War I, the Mountaineers’ Club faded
City Building
Erected in 1893. Oldest public
school building standing in
Alpine. Abandoned as school in
1910. Later served as a hospital,
college dormitory, Border Patrol
station and U.S. Soil and
Conservation Service.
away and was never revived.
Though details are
sketchy, it is known that the
building was used as the St.
Charles Hotel from about
1915 until 1916.
The structure was
“adequately fitted up for hospital
work” and opened as the
Alpine Hospital on Jan. 10,
1917. The Alpine Avalanche
reported “the present capacity
is 20 patients; seven of these
are strictly private.” Dr. J. Frank Clark was the
physician in charge. Other records indicate that
Dr. J.R. Middlebrook was also connected with
the hospital.
“When Sul Ross was established, the Board of
Regents of the state teachers’ college required the
citizens of Alpine to furnish a girls’ dormitory,”
reported the Alpine Avalanche. Sen. B.F. Berkeley
was named to the chairmanship of a committee
to raise funds for the dormitory, and in 1920, the
city of Alpine purchased the City Building. A
small nearby residence and a warehouse that had
been used for the Mitchell-Gillett store after the
store had burned down were also purchased and
moved to the property. The three buildings were
combined into one structure to serve as a girls’
dormitory named for Berkeley.
A 1924 Sul Ross bulletin promoted the facility.
“Berkeley Hall, the dormitory for girls, is under
the direct supervision of Professor C.A. Gilley
and his wife. This hall has been thoroughly
remodeled and is convenient and comfortable in
all its appointments; it is steam heated and is
located at a convenient distance to the college
Recorded Texas Historical
Landmark – 1965
continued on page 27
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