Friday, April 6, 2018

Visiting the history of Clarkwood School in Corpus Christi, Texas.


Clarkwood School is one of the many forgotten schools of Corpus Christi, Texas along with Nueces County. Not many people know of this school or its whereabouts. Clarkwood School operated from 1800 to 1988 in the town of Clarkwood, Texas which was later annexed by Corpus Christi, Texas. 



 According to zillow.com, Clarkwood School was built in the year of 1800. Clarkwood School was built at the location of 211 South Clarkwood Road, Corpus Christi, Texas, US 78406. Clarkwood School was built as a 1,070 square foot, 2 story building on a 0.95 (1 acre) lot. The 1,070 square foot building is located on a 41,382 square foot lot.

In 1800, Clarkwood School was established along with its own school district called Clarkwood Common School District (Clarkwood Common School District No. 20). The town of Clarkwood had its own school district called Clarkwood Common School District which would later become Clarkwood Independent School District (Clarkwood ISD). Clarkwood Common School District bordered the small settlement of Violet, Texas and their common school district.

From the beginning until its slow closing, Clarkwood School was a 1-8 school that educated grades 1 through 8 and never educated high school grades. Clarkwood Common School District had an arrangement with Robstown ISD for high school students to attend high school in Robstown, Texas. Clarkwood School was an elementary school that was also known as Clarkwood Elementary School.


The building was remodeled from being a single story building and was converted into a two story building in 1940. That was the first remodel of the Clarkwood School building in the 1940s decade. Clarkwood School was built on top.

Prior to 1940, Clarkwood School was a wooden building. The outside was painted red and the inside was painted brown. Asphalt tiles were donated from a local Baptist church and used to create flooring on the inside.


Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that on November 30, 1954 that a new six-classroom building was completed for $70,000. The inside was paved with glazed brick asphalt tile. 4 out of the 6 classrooms were in use. Clarkwood Lions Club took over the old wooden school building on that date. The architect was Brock Anderson of Corpus Christi. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, November 30, 1954)

From 1954 onto 1988 is when Clarkwood Lions Club would use the old Clarkwood School building on a lease agreement with Tuloso-Midway Independent School District and Nueces County Common School District. In between that time period is when Clarkwood Lions Club would use the old Clarkwood School building as a dance hall.

On Thursday, January 6, 1955, Clarkwood Lions Club moved its 87 foot long, 26 foot wide frame building onto the property according to Corpus Christi Caller-Times. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, January 6, 1955)

On the date of April 3, 1955, residents living within boundaries of the Clarkwood Common School District voted to become an independent school district thus becoming Clarkwood Independent School District (Clarkwood ISD).

(Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Page 1, April 3, 1955)
(Ref: Robstown Record, Page 8, April 3, 1952)


Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that on April 23, 1956, Clarkwood School measured 6.5 inches (6½ inches) of rain by noon that very day. Reportedly the whole town of Clarkwood had several businesses that were flooded. (Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, April 23, 1956)

According to a clipping from a short news article written in Corpus Christi Caller-Times from September 13, 1959, the old Clarkwood School building received a coat of red paint that turned it into a square dance barn that would eventually become a dance hall. (Ref: The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Page 27, September 13, 1959)

Last remodel date for Clarkwood School was made in the year of 1965 as reported by zillow.com. Two single story buildings were already built in the back of the original 1800 school building by 1965.

In February 1969, Clarkwood Independent School District (Clarkwood ISD) was absorbed and consolidated into Tuloso-Midway Independent School District. The official vote for consolidation was 98-10. Clarkwood School was then operated by Tuloso-Midway Independent School District from 1969 to 1988.


From 1970 to 1988 is when Tuloso-Midway Independent School District would continue to operate Clarkwood School as Clarkwood Elementary School. Clarkwood School closed in 1988 due to lack of state funding and local funding.

In 1988, Clarkwood Lions Club sold the old Clarkwood School building and the Clarkwood Elementary School buildings along with the property to a man name Feliburto B Yzaguirre. By 1989, Feliburto B Yzaguirre and 6 of his family members occupied the buildings.

According to zillow.com, Clarkwood School is now a single family home that serves as an apartment complex with 6 to 11 units. So far the apartment complex is made up of 11 units. In these 11 units are 16 people. Today the property is owned by Feliburto B Yzaguirre.


The location for Clarkwood School was and is 211 South Clarkwood Road, Corpus Christi, Texas, US 78406.


10 comments:

  1. It's haunted there👻

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    1. Clarkwood School is haunted? Please explain what exactly you mean. Give us some details.

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    2. I lived there back along time ago like 2years ago and there was a piano would play when my mom left and I have pic of a little boy do u know know a boy died there with a woman and a man and a boy and a girl

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    3. I do not know of a boy who died there.

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  2. I attended school there back in 1965. It had 1st to 8th grades and was called the Clarkwood Wolverines, and school colors were blue and gold. Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Art Mostella were the Superintendents of the school, and SOME of the Board of Education were Mr. Kilgore, Mr. Billy Bernsen, Mr. Mostella, Mr. Anselmo Reyes, and Huey Carberry. Art Mostella's son is now the President of the Tuloso Midway ISD school board. The school had a cover area where the Halloween Carnivals were held, and also the PTA meetings were held. It also had a play ground for the elementary students that consisted of 2 merri-go-rounds, 2 slides, 2 monkey bars, sea saws and 2 sets of 4 swings. Behind the cafeteria wing was the softball field, where softball and kickball were played. The following were some of the sports played at Clarkwood: basketball, volleyball, softball, and track. They had Cheerleaders to support the Wolverines to victory. Some schools that were in the district were, Chapman Ranch, London, Petronila, Tuloso Midway, and Driscoll. It had a cafeteria where they served hot and healthy lunches for .25 cents. where the servers were Mrs. Crain and Mrs. Dobson who were in charge of the cafeteria and its menu. They also had a school nurse, Mrs Barrera, but when she was not available for school shots, the students were taken to the Robstown clinic for vaccinations. They had 2 school buses, and the maintenece men were Mr. Pedro Caballero and Mr. Paul Soles. There used to be an oil pump next to the Cover Area. These were good ole times when I attended Clarkwood School Wolverines.

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  3. my email is julian@juno.com Mr. Julian Sanchez ex alumni of Clarkwood School.

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    1. Thank you for commenting and sharing your memories, Julian Sanchez.

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    2. U got pics of school back when it was school

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  4. I went to Clarkwood 7th (1959-1960) & 8th (1960-1961. I recall some of the names in your commentary. Mrs. Rogers was a dear teacher who taught English subject. Her son was the boys' coach. Mr. Mostella was the girls' coach. Mr. Soles drove our school bus. My mother taught 1st grade at Clarkwood those 2 years. I have very fond memories going to school there.

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