Site of Odd Fellows University and Orphans Home

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about this place, so take it straight from the record. Now, you might drive past this spot in Brazos County and not give it a second glance, but settle in, because what stood here was something the Odd Fellows lodge dreamed up big, and they did not think small. In 1870, they founded what they called Odd Fellows University and Orphans Home.

A two-story frame building, right here. And they meant business when it came to what they'd teach inside those walls. Drawing, English, French, German, Greek, Latin, music, philosophy, geometry, trigonometry, science, surveying, penmanship.

Penmanship. They weren't leaving anything out. Students came from as far as eighty miles away, ranging from primary age all the way up to young adults, which tells you something about how far a family would travel just to get their kids through those doors.

Now, about that orphanage part of the name. The records, and this is the marker talking, the records do not show the planned orphanage ever actually operated. So that half of the dream stayed a dream.

The money that kept the school running came chiefly from tuition fees, not endowments, not grand patrons, just the steady paying of families who believed in what was being offered. And in a five-year career, this school turned out future Texas leaders. Five years.

Short by any measure, but apparently long enough to leave a mark on the state. By 1875, the building was sold to W.W. and B.L. James and Mrs.

V.D. Eaton, and it became Bryan Academy. Then, from 1876 all the way to 1903, those same walls housed St.

Joseph's Church. One building, one corner of Brazos County, and it just kept finding a purpose. That's the kind of story a place tells when nobody's looking.

What the marker says

Founded 1870 by Odd Fellows lodge. Housed in a 2-story frame building. Taught drawing, English, French, German, Greek, Latin, music, philosophy, geometry, trigonometry, science, surveying, penmanship. Had primary to young adult students, attracted here from an 80-mile area. Records do not show planned orphanage ever operated. Funds came chiefly from tuition fees. During 5-year career, school taught future Texas leaders. The building was sold (1875) to W.W. and B.L. James and Mrs. V.D. Eaton, for Bryan Academy. It housed St. Joseph's Church 1876 to 1903. (1972)