06/24/2026
Turnersville School in 1912
By David Scott
In the school room display at the Coryell Museum and Historical Center, visitors will see at least fifty photographs of rural schools that were once located in Coryell County.
One of the many photographs on display is of the Turnersville School in the northern part of Coryell County.
Turnersville, originally known as Buchanan Springs, located twelve miles north of Gatesville, was established in the 1860’s and was a place to guide travelers, settlers, and cow drivers to a plentiful water supply.
The town that eventually developed at the freshwater springs was a place that travelers often camped. The town was named after Cal Turner, who first settled there to shoe horses and repair wagons. A Presbyterian church served as the community’s first school in 1868 until a more permanent school was built in 1885. The small town boasted a grist mill, cotton gin, and some eight other businesses.
The Buster School, located five miles south of Turnersville, along with its 60 students, consolidated with the Turnersville School in 1929.
The Turnersville School consolidated with surrounding rural districts before officially closing in 1968. Today, students in the Turnersville area are served by the Jonesboro Independent School District.
The public is invited to visit the school room display at the museum which has community school photos dating back a century in Coryell County.
The museum is located at 718 E. Main Street and has the largest spur collection in the nation, if not the world. Admission to the museum is free. Of course, large and small donations are welcome at all times.
Coryell Museum offers area schools and tour groups a guided tour through the museum with docents at many exhibits. Call the museum at 254-865-5007 to plan a visit.
