Brenham Normal & Industrial College

BRENHAM (WASHINGTON COUNTY)

Founded circa 1905, the Brenham Normal and Industrial College (BNIC) was the result of a unified effort to provide educational and vocational opportunities for the children of formerly enslaved men and women of Washington County. The school remained in operation, offering elementary through secondary level classes, until 1927 when the Mount Olive Baptist District Association took ownership. The building is still actively used by the Association as a worship center and venue for community gatherings.

A structural assessment in 2021 revealed that water infiltration had caused major deterioration of the roof, threatening the structural integrity of the building. Additionally, most of the building's exterior wooden elements, including the porches, have deteriorated and are in need of replacement.

This project has been awarded a $75,000 grant through Preservation Texas’s Rural African-American Heritage Grants Program which will make it possible to repair the roof and rebuild the porches to ensure the building is structurally sound.

On May 17, 2025, the State Board of Review approved a National Register of Historic Places nomination for Brenham Normal and Industrial College/Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Association. The nomination is now under review by the National Park Service for official designation.

Northwest corner of the circa 1905 Brenham Normal and Industrial College building.

Western facade of the Brenham Normal and Industrial College building.

1913 advertisement for Brenham Normal and Industrial College.

1949 Women’s Convention at Brenham Normal and Industrial College.