Texas A&M University-Kingsville

The college was meant for teachers but soon turned technical. A 1923 law authorized a new teachers college west of the 101st meridian and south of the twenty-ninth parallel. When it was remade as a technical school in 1929, its four authorized divisions were liberal arts, industrial arts and commerce, education and military science. After World War II the old naval air station east of town housed returning veterans, students and faculty alike, and served as a model and stock farm. By 1989 it offered majors in more than fifty fields and a doctorate in bilingual education.

What the plaque says

Texas A&M University-Kingsville As the state sought to expand its normal college system to train teachers, local Kingsville citizens, such as J.N. Bigbee, Maria Toner, Charles Flato, Claude Pollard, R.J Kleberg, and Caesar Kleberg, demonstrated the town's suitability for just such a program. On July 14, 1917, the state normal school board of regents voted to establish a normal college in Kingsville. Due to U.S. entry into World War I, the college did not open until June 8, 1925. Robert Bartow cousins served as the college's first president from 1924 to 1932, during which time the school chose the Javelina as its mascot and blue and gold as its colors. The president's home and Manning Hall were the first buildings completed, designed in the mission revival style to reflect south Texas' heritage and establish a cohesive vision for the overall campus. In 1929, the school became known as Texas College of Arts and Industries as it added technical training, most notably in agriculture, engineering, and industry. In 1951, Richard M. Kleberg, benefactor and representative of the King Ranch, donated 500 acres to build a new college farm, and the campus continued to grow. With a national championship team and Coach Gil Steinke, the school was the first in the lone star conference to integrate its football team, and the campus was also a center for activism in the Chicano movement. In 1967, the school changed its name to Texas A&I university and decades later joined the texas a&m system in 1989. Its name changed to Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 1993. Today, the school is known for its academic programs, especially in agriculture, engineering, education, and music, as well as its strong javelina spirit. (2013)

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• First Presbyterian Church of Kingsville — 0.7 mi
• Uriah Lott — 0.8 mi
• Kleberg County — 1.0 mi
• The King Ranch — 1.1 mi