THE AUSTIN GRADED SCHOOL HOUSE WAS DEDICATED ON OCT. 28, 1876. THE BUILDING, ON THIS SITE ORIGINALLY SET ASIDE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES BY THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS IN 1839, WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IN TEXAS BUILT ENTIRELY FROM PUBLIC FUNDS. THE THREE-STORY LIMESTONE SCHOOL CONTAINED 12 ROOMS AND SERVED 200 STUDENTS. LATER CALLED WEST AUSTIN SCHOOL, THE BUILDING WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY A MAY 1896 FIRE. IT WAS REBUILT WITH TWO ADDITIONAL ROOMS, WITH THE ORIGINAL WALLS FORMING THE CENTRAL PART OF THE RENOVATION. IN 1902, THE SCHOOL WAS RENAMED FOR FORMER GOVERNOR ELISHA M. PEASE. ADDITIONS WERE MADE IN 1916 AND 1926, BY AUSTIN ARCHITECTS DENNIS R. WALSH AND HUGO KUEHNE, RESPECTIVELY. THE BRICK AND CAST STONE EXTERIOR EXHIBITS A SIMPLIFIED CLASSICAL STYLE ARCHITECTURE.