There are still several buildings on the site and other memorial markers that I will post at a later date. Below is the text from the Historical Marker above.
TEXAS HISTORIAL COMMISSION MARKER, PLACED IN 1977
IN 1885 THE GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS, INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS, FOUNDED THE I.O.O.F. WIDOWS AND ORPHANS HOME, ONE OF THE FIRST FRATERNAL ORPHANAGES IN THE STATE. CORSICANA LODGE NO. 63 AND OTHER LOCAL CITIZENS GAVE 200 ACRES AS A SITE FOR THE FACILITY. ON APRIL 26, 1886, THE CORNERSTONE FOR THE FIRST PERMANENT BUILDING WAS LAID. ONLY ONE CHILD WAS RESIDING HERE IN 1891, BUT ENROLLMENT AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT SOON INCREASED.
THE HOME BECAME A SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY WITH IT’S OWN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, FARM AND DAIRY, POWER PLANT AND WATER SUPPLY. ABEL RICE AUDITORIUM, BUILT IN 1911, WHEN ENROLLMENT WAS OVER 300 CONTAINED A SWIMMING POOL AND GYM, AND HOUSED THE FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT SPONSORED BY THE REBEKAH LODGES. THIS INSTITUTION ALSO SERVED AS A HOME FOR THE AGED FROM 1905 UNTIL A SEPARATE FACILITY OPENED IN ENNIS IN 1928.
AFTER PEAKING AT NEARLY 400 IN THE 1920S, ENROLLMENT DROPPED SHARPLY IN THE 1930S AND 1940S. THE SCHOOL CLOSED IN 1943, AND STUDENTS BEGAN ATTENDING CORSICANA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. CAMPUS BUILDINGS WERE MODERNIZED IN A 1940 “RECONVERSION PROGRAM”. RENAMED IN 1948, THE ODD FELLOW AND REBEKAH CHILDREN’S HOME HAS PROVIDED CARE FOR OVER 5500 PERSONS.
5 comments:
Hi folks,
Here's a link to a photo of the IOOF Home.
http://www.usgwarchives.org/tx/navarro/postcards/ioofhm.jpg
I am looking for family members that were in a orphage there were six children. Two were adopted and their names were Bledsoe
I lived at the children's home from 1975 til sometime in 1981 or 82. I was 4 yes old when my grandfather left us there. I have been looking for all records on me and my sister. Serena and Tonya Patterson. Any help is welcomed.
I had just left my name was Randy
I WAS AT THE ORPHANAGE FROM 1964 UNTIL 1973!!! MY NAME IS DIANE OAKLEY AND MY BROTHERS NAME WAS BRUCE OAKLEY!!!!
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