Revisiting the lost history of Colorado School No. 3 in Del Valle, Texas.

History about Colorado School No. 3 in Del Valle, Texas has been long forgotten as the Colorado School is one of the many forgotten educational institutions of Austin that have faded away with time. Only longtime Austinites from generations ago may remember the Colorado School located in rural Travis County.  Colorado Common School District operated Colorado School No. 3 from 1875 to 1957.

Colorado School No. 3 was established as Colorado Negro School No. 3 in 1875. The location for Colorado School No. 3 was located at the junction of where modern day Puebla Street and Falwell Lane connect. Falwell Lane once served as Bastrop Road aka Highway 71 (SH 71) before being realigned in 1960.

Colorado School No. 3 was a negro school that served black students in grades 1 through 8 living in the Del Valle area. The quality of school buildings and equipment followed racial lines. Rural schools for black children were typically between one-room frame buildings to three-room frame buildings.

Colorado School No. 3 went under the following names of and was referred to as Colorado Colored School No. 3, Colorado Negro School No. 3, Colorado Negro School #3, Colorado Colored School #3, and Colorado School #3.

(Ref: 1932 Travis County Map)
(Ref: http://www.twdb.texas.gov/publications/reports/bulletins/doc/B5612.pdf)

Colorado School No. 3 had 63 students with an average daily attendance of 48 students during the 1934-1935 school year. There was one teacher for 63 students. The cost per year was $526 with spending expenditures of $12.52 for student per year. The teacher taught eight grades for 120 days.

On the date of September 9, 1937, a water well was dug by hand. The well was built using top concrete casing and the water well itself was built 2 cubic feet above the ground surface. Its rings were 36 inches in diameter. The water well was hand operated. Texas Water Development Board had the Colorado School water well recorded as Well Number 5851601. Texas Water Development Board has this water well recorded as a “Historical Observation Well”. (Ref: Texas Water Development Board)

By 1957, Colorado School No. 3 was no longer needed as the Lamar School had a newly constructed building open across Highway 71. Colorado Common School District decided to demolish the school and its water well. Colorado School No. 3 was destroyed in 1958. Its students were sent to Lamar School (Lamar Elementary School) effectively.

No traces of Colorado School No. 3 remained by 1960. The water well was paved over and destroyed by TXDot after Highway 71 was realigned. The water well was plugged prior to realignment of Highway 71.


Colorado School No. 3 was located at the junction of Falwell Lane & Puebla Street, Del Valle, Texas, US 78617.