Here in San Antonio, we have over 15 school districts. This week, we’re focusing on one of Bexar County’s oldest campuses, Locke Hill Elementary School.
Located at I-10 and DeZevala Road, the school was established in 1868, but this is not its original location. The original campus was named after William Jackson Locke, an Illinois settler who moved his family to Texas in 1850.
Locke and Louis Lacy purchased land on the east + west sides of present day Fredericksburg and Huebner Roads, which would be known as Locke Hill. Here, the duo established a supply depot and post office. In 1868, a shed at the supply depot became the student’s first learning place.
Locke later donated his Locke Hill land for the learning facility where it was housed until 1975, making that location the longest-used site of Locke Hill’s history.
Here are some key dates for the school:
1923: A two-room brick building was built on the original Locke Hill land and six additional rooms were added onto the building in the 1940s.
1935: Locke Hill was certified as a Standard Rural School and the Works Progress Administration built a large auditorium using rocks from a nearby quarry.
1949: The Locke Hill school joined the Northside Consolidated District (present day Northside ISD) and was designated as an elementary school. Fun fact: The school taught first through 10th grades.
1957: A cafeteria, four classrooms, restrooms, and the principal’s office were added onto the auditorium.
1968: The school turned 100 and received its first historical marker, which was later moved to its current campus.
1975: A new school was built to accommodate the growing student enrollment and Locke Hill Elementary School relocated to its current location on DeZavala Road.
