WACO, Texas (KWTX) – On March 22, 1910, fire destroyed the main building of Texas Christian University in Waco.
The brick structure, thought to be fireproof, ignited around 8 p.m. when two students discovered flames.
Within hours, only charred and blackened walls remained.
Nearly all of the library’s 6,000 volumes were destroyed, along with the nearly completed 1910 Horned Frog yearbook.
Classes resumed at TCU within days, held on the lawn, in dining halls, and in neighboring buildings.
Other Texas cities, including Fort Worth, Dallas, McKinney, and Gainesville, placed competing bids to attract TCU.
Fort Worth’s bid of 50 acres of land, $200,000, and promises of utilities and streetcar access proved irresistible.
On May 9, 1910, TCU’s Board of Trustees unanimously accepted Fort Worth’s offer, ending the university’s 15-year presence in Waco.
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