Mark in Texas History: Unusual structures in Jacksonville were Sea Scouts training facility

JACKSONVILLE, Texas (KLTV) - Unusual-looking structures on Water Street have a history tied to a Boy Scouts program that promoted maritime skills.

Sea Scouting was a branch of the Boy Scouts which promotes mental and physical fitness through maritime skills. Jacksonville attorney John C. Box Junior set up a unit for local boys in 1936.

The unit met at a location which has four buildings made of red ironstone. One of the four buildings was built in the shape of a hull and deck of a sailboat.

The building served as a classroom for nautical procedure, sail hoisting, signaling and knot tying.

Ship 400 dissolved in 1951 but served 15 years as a fun and educational opportunity during the Depression and World War II. The ship received a historical marker designation in 2017.

The Sea Scouts Ship 400 is visible on the right when driving north on Water Street at the Devereaux Street intersection.