DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. The Main Building at Saint Edward's University, up there in Travis County — this one's got some stories stacked inside its walls. The institution itself goes back to 1873, when the Congregation of Holy Cross founded it as a male Catholic school.
First pupils? Local farm boys. Not exactly the crowd you'd picture for a Gothic Revival masterpiece, but that's exactly what was coming.
The original Main Building went up in 1888, designed by Nicholas J. Clayton — a man they called Master Architect, and you'll understand why in a moment. Clayton worked in Gothic Revival style, all soaring lines and serious stone, the kind of building that makes you feel like your posture ought to be better just standing near it.
Now, here's where the story takes a turn. Fire. 1903. The building burned.
You'd think that might be the end of it, but this institution did not fold. They called Clayton back — same Master Architect, same Gothic Revival style — and he rebuilt it. Same vision, risen from the ash.
The school kept growing alongside those walls. In 1921, college-level courses were added. Then in 1925, it was rechartered as a University.
During World War II, the place took on a whole new role — it served as an academy and flying school. Farm boys to flyers, that's quite a distance to travel in a few decades. Then in 1966, women were admitted.
What started as a school for local farm boys had become something altogether different — and that Main Building, burned once and rebuilt, still standing over all of it, designed by the same hand both times. Some buildings just refuse to be anything other than what they were always meant to be.
What the marker says
Erected in 1888, rebuilt after fire in 1903. Nicholas J. Clayton, Master Architect, designed both buildings in Gothic Revival style. Serves institution founded in 1873 by Congregation of Holy Cross, as male Catholic school. First pupils were local farm boys. In 1921 college-level courses were added. Was rechartered in 1925 as a University. During World War II, served as an academy and flying school. Admitted women in 1966. Recorded Texas Historic landmark – 1972