Help Restore the Historic Mitchell Center—A Legacy of Learning, Hope, and Progress in San Marcos, Texas.

Help Restore the Historic Mitchell Center—A Legacy of Learning, Hope, and Progress in San Marcos, Texas. https://universitystar.com/29689/life-and-arts/community-celebrates-30th-anniversary-of-mitchell-center/


SAN MARCOS, TEXAS - From its days as an army barracks at Camp Swift to serving as indoor restrooms for the San Marcos Colored High School… From transforming into a thriving community center and charter school to preserving African American history at the Calaboose Museum… This building has been a beacon of education, empowerment, and opportunity for generations!


Now, we have a chance to revive its legacy once again—and we need YOU to make it happen!


On February 15, the Calaboose African American History Museum proudly hosted the 30th anniversary of the Willie Mae Mitchell Community Opportunity Center. As part of Black History Month, Pastor Kyev Tatum—who first spearheaded the effort to turn this historic structure into a youth learning center in the mid-1990s—shared the powerful story of the Mitchell Center’s impact.


“Whenever you do something, you want it to last long after you’re gone,” Tatum said. “If you stay at it long enough, and you do your best at it long enough, you are guaranteed success.”




A History Worth Preserving


The Mitchell Center’s story began in 1946, when Hays County purchased an army barracks from Camp Swift to expand the San Marcos Colored School. It later became Dunbar School before closing due to integration in 1964. The site evolved into Dunbar Park, but a tragic fire in 1986 destroyed much of the school—except the barracks.


In 1993, during a tour with Leadership San Marcos, a young Kyev Tatum had an epiphany. Seeing the abandoned barracks, he envisioned its potential to serve the community once more. With support from local alumni, city leaders, and dedicated funders, the Mitchell Center was reborn on September 15, 1995!


It didn’t stop there. The center became a charter school in 2000, a Boys & Girls Club in 2001, and a safe haven for youth seeking knowledge and inspiration.


But after falling out of use in recent years, this historic site needs our help.




The Future Is In Our Hands!


On December 18, 2024, the San Marcos City Council officially transferred the Mitchell Center to the Calaboose Museum. Over the next 18-24 months, the center will be restored as a space for education, history, and community growth. It will complement the Calaboose Museum by telling the story of resilience, achievement, and progress in San Marcos.



But we can’t do it alone!


This is your opportunity to be part of history. Your donation, your support, your belief in this project will help breathe new life into the Mitchell Center—ensuring it continues to uplift future generations.


Let’s come together—just like we did before—and make the Mitchell Center a place of inspiration once again!


Donate Today. Invest in the Future. Preserve the Legacy.


For more information on how to contribute, contact the Calaboose African American History Museum or visit www.calaboosemuseum.org



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