Hays County Commissioners Court to discuss preservation of two historic buildings in the Dunbar District

Sierra Martin | Managing Editor

HAYS COUNTY — On Tuesday, July 13 at 9 a.m., the Hays County Commissioners Court will meet to discuss the preservation of two historically significant buildings in the Dunbar Historic District, appoint members to the Hays County Citizens Advisory Commission for Redistricting and address many more items for the county. 

County commissioners will discuss and take possible action to approve a Resolution in Support of the Preservation of the African American Home Economics School Building located on Dunbar Street in San Marcos. The Dunbar Home Economics Building is the only known surviving African American school building in the county and designated as a Historic Landmark by San Marcos. 

The Dunbar Home Economics building is also the only property that survived the fire of 1986 that destroyed the larger school building only three years after the school’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places. 

According to commissioner court documents, the court will vote on if they “support the restoration and preservation of the Dunbar Home Economics Building and encourage the County Grant Department to work with the City of San Marcos Grant Department to obtain funding from the Texas Historical Commission and all other sources necessary to achieve this resolution.”

The court will also discuss and take possible action to approve a resolution to preserve the Naomi Cephas Wade House in San Marcos. The Naomi Cephas Wade House is one of the last surviving original buildings in the Dunbar Historic District. 

A demolition request was submitted to the City of San Marcos for the Naomi Cephas Wade House. According to commissioner court documents, since the Dunbar Historic District was designated in 2003, over 25% of the buildings in the district have been demolished, while the other six historic districts in the city have witnessed no demolitions. 

County commissioners will vote to support the restoration and preservation of the Naomi Cephas Wade House and oppose the demolition. 

Hays County Commissioners will discuss other items, including the issuance of Parks and Open Space bonds of Hays County Proposition A, which was passed in the 2020 General Election.

Additionally, commissioners will appoint members to the Hays County Citizens Advisory Commission for Redistricting and appoint a charter for the commission. 

The court will also discuss if Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra will continue the Local Disaster Declaration originally proclaimed on March 6, 2020, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The live stream for Hays County Commissioners Court will only be available during scheduled Commissioners Court meetings, which are typically held every Tuesday morning beginning at 9 a.m. unless otherwise posted. Meetings of the Commissioners Court take place in the Hays County Historic Courthouse, located at 111 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos, Texas.