Not much history is known about the Cove School. Information regarding Cove School is quite vague. This news article will attempt to find out the history of Cove School in Orange, Texas. The Cove School saw at least three buildings in its duration. One built in 1882, another one built in 1947, and the other 2 built in 1954.
Mr. David Bland and Mrs. Bland moved to Orange, Texas in 1881. Both them and their children lived in a 1 story house. The couple saw an urgent need for a school in the community. So both of them built a school that would become the Cove School located south of Orange, Texas. Mrs. Bland began teaching again in 1881. She used a room in their house as a classroom while Cove School was being built. The school being conducted in their house was a private school. Grades 1 through 8 were educated here.
Cove School was established and opened in 1882 on land that was owned by Mr. David Bland and Mrs. Bland. This was in order to have educational facilities for children living in Orange, Texas. Mrs. Bland was its first teacher already having several years of teaching experience. (Ref: Gateway to Texas - Orange County, page 200)
Mr. David Bland donated more land for the school in 1884. It was then that Mr.s Bland would continue to teach at Cove School for 7 years until 1891. She was succeeded by her daughter Allie Bland. D. B. McKinley was the school trustee. (Ref: Gateway to Texas - Orange County, page 200)
2 more of acres of land were donated in 1892. A cistern was upfront visible from the road side. (Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Volume 1344, Page 200)
David Bland conveyed the land to Adams Bayou Community School District No. 6 of Orange County on the date of January 12, 1893. It was then that the Cove School would become part of Adams Bayou Community School District No. 6. (Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Volume P, Page 298)
Sometime in the 1900s is when Adams Bayou Community School District No. 6 was renamed to Cove Independent School District. (Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Volume 3, Page 593)
Paul A. Nash and his wife Sarah Thornhill Nash donated a tract of land to Cove Independent School District in 1946. Over time, more land owners would donate acres from their tracts of land to Trustees of Cove Independent School District. Grades K through 8 were served in one building.
The first Cove School building was torn down in 1947. The gym and 2 story building serving as Cove School were built and constructed in 1947. Cove School would be rebuilt again in 1954. This time the 80% of the school building was a one story building. Grades K through 8 were educated here. (Ref: http://www.wosaf.org/history.html)
In 1961, Cove ISD was located all in one building which was Cove School. The school and school district served students in grades Kindergarden through 8.
In 1965 when Cove Independent School District was merged into Orange ISD to form West Orange-Cove ISD, the Cove School was closed for whatever reason. Cove School was part of the 1965 consolidation. The property was transferred from Cove Independent School District to West Orange-Cove ISD. West Orange-Cove ISD would own the property from 1965 to 1972.
West Orange-Cove ISD formed from West Orange Independent School District, Cove Independent School District, and Orange Independent School District shortly after West Orange ISD and Cove Independent School District consolidated in 1965 during the 1965–1966 school year. The new West Orange-Cove ISD was forced to by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) absorb Orange Public Schools fka Orange ISD and operated through the City of Orange. The school district’s name upon consolidation was West Orange-Cove Independent School District. (Ref: http://www.wosaf.org/history.html)
For a short time, West Orange-Cove ISD used the building as a warehouse and as a storage building. The warehouse only lasted temporarily.
Bosie Southern Company and Lutcher and Moore Lumber Company removed the rails of the railroad siding next along a shed southwest on the property on August 25, 1971. Moore Lumber Company removed wooden beams from said railroad. (Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Volume 411, Page 63)
On July 12, 1972, West Orange-Cove ISD sold the property and buildings to William M. Boiter. (Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Volume 420, Page 532)
On the date of 2/16/2007, William M. Boiter sold the land to Ruben Dorantes on a special warranty deed. The school sat vacant. (Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Number 309865)
One the date of 1/19/2012, Ruben Dorantes sold the property to a man named Terry T. White, Sr. on a general warranty deed. Since then the school has been sitting abandoned. No further use of this school has been recorded. Ref: Orange County Official Public Records, Number 381937)
Cove School is located at 1220 Dupont Drive, Orange, Texas, US 77660.
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