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School History

Durkee ES

JOHN DURKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Our campus namesake, John Edward Durkee, arrived in Texas from the northern states. He owned real property throughout the City of Houston. He owned a large area of property on the Northside of Houston and named this area Little York in honor of his home state of New York. Mr. Durkee was known for his generosity and civic pride. He donated the land on Little York Road to the Harris County school District #25. In recognition of his service to the community, our campus bears his name John Durkee Elementary. John Durkee Elementary opened its doors in 1912. In 1931, John Durkee Elementary was closed. As the population around the school increased, the school doors reopened in 1947. By 1950, enrollment at John Durkee increased to 82 students in its four room, red brick building. John Durkee was then located on Little York on the property now known as Fonville Middle School and that original building was closed in the fall of 1954 when the new 16 classroom John Durkee Elementary School was completed on Nordling near Rittenhouse Rd.