The Calaboose African American History Museum to expand, relocate in San Marcos

The city of San Marcos approved the transfer of its legal title of the Mitchell Center, located at 715 Valley St., to the Calaboose African American History Museum on Nov. 6.

What it means

The local nonprofit organization will soon be relocating and expanding to the Mitchell Center. The Calaboose African American History Museum, currently located at 200 Martin Luther King Drive, will use the new facility to create an “immersive and expanded museum experience” that will serve as a “vital” cultural and educational hub for the city—particularly the Dunbar neighborhood, according to agenda documents.

“By relocating and expanding its exhibits to the Mitchell Center, the museum can positively reclaim the cultural significance of the historic Calaboose building, offering a more comprehensive interpretation of its history alongside that of the Historic Hays County Jail,” agenda documents state.

The history

In September 1955, the Mitchell Center was part of the Colored School until the school district desegregated. The center was moved to city property following a fire that destroyed most of the Colored School in 1985. In 1994, the building moved a second time to 715 Valley St., and was completely renovated, according to an Oct. 15 work session presentation.

San Marcos City Council directed city staff to prepare and post a request for proposals, or RFPs, for the Mitchell Center to be conveyed to a nonprofit organization in March. The city received six proposals, and a city-staffed evaluation team unanimously selected the Calaboose African American History Museum, according to agenda documents.

What’s next?

The city and museum will be finalizing the legal documents for the property conveyance.