City of Katy Celebrates the Return of the Original School Bell to Katy’s Oldest School

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

August 9, 2023

By Natalie Cook Clark

Katy ISD’s Katy Elementary School is the oldest elementary school in Katy having opened in 1898. The original school bell was returned as part of major renovation ahead of the new academic year.

The City of Katy and Katy ISD officials celebrate the historic return of the Katy Elementary's bell. Photo credit: Chris Harris

Katy Elementary is the Oldest School in Katy

Katy Elementary is the oldest of KISD’s elementary schools. It sits on the same site as the first one-room schoolhouse built in 1898 to serve the town of Katy that was made up or rice farmers at the time.

The original school bell came to the school in 1909. To maintain the strong history of this school, the preservation of the school bell was included as part of a major renovation that the elementary completed this summer.

Yesterday City of Katy officials celebrated the return of the bell to this historical site. In 2017 Katy Elementary received a County Historical Marker for “Site of the First Schoolhouse in Katy.” The school opened in 1898.

“The bell will be displayed above the school entrance,” says Chris Harris, City of Katy Mayor Pro Tem. “From the beginning long-time Katy residents and city officials and school leaders wanted to keep the bell.”

According to Harris the plan to incorporate the bell has always been part of the renovation plans and how to best incorporate the bell was always a priority to keep it where is has been since 1909.

Honoring History Builds on the Schools Theme for the Future

Honoring such history goes with the school’s theme, “Building our Future One Tiger at a Time.”

This isn’t the first time that the school has received a major renovation. As the Katy area grows, the school has had to keep up. The present school was built on the original school land in 1965 and then was renovated and enlarged in 1989 and again in 1995.

1909 School with bell above... 1898 one room school house next door. Bell above the 1965 school. 2023 renovation being completed this month. Photos courtesy of the City of Katy.

Katy ISD students return to school on August 16, 2023 to start the new academic year. Do you have questions about the new year? Check out our Katy ISD Return to School Must Knows.