Ruby Ruth Fuller Building

This building was constructed in 1915 as the new home of Port Arthur's First United Methodist Church, which had organized in 1897. The building was designed by C.W. Ward, and church member Warren McDaniel served as the contractor. A special agreement allowing the church to be built on property belonging to Port Arthur College (now Lamar State College-Port Arthur) provided that the structure would be subject to use by the college any time that it was not used for religious purposes. When First United Methodist Church merged with St. Mark's Methodist Church and moved to another location in 1976, the building was deeded to the college. The structure was officially dedicated as the Ruby Ruth Fuller Educational Building in 1978. Mrs. Fuller taught Sunday School for 42 of the 55 years that she was a member of First United Methodist Church, and is the only person in the history of the church to be named teacher emeritus. The building's architecture manifests the influences of several styles, including Gothic and Tudor. Dominant features include a brick facade with cast stone detailing, stylized crenellations along the parapets of two asymmetrical towers, arched entryways and windows, and opalescent stained glass. The towers flank a wide staircase leading to a dramatic piano nobile, or raised entry. The Fuller Educational Building continues to serve Lamar State College-Port Arthur as a location for classes and related educational events. The structure serves as a reminder of the concern and foresight of the people of the First United Methodist Church for the future of the college and the greater community of Port Arthur and the surrounding area. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2009

Ruby Ruth Fuller Building is a historical marker in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, dedicated in 2009. It is one of 109 historical markers documented in Jefferson County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 137 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.8790, -93.9266 near Port Arthur. The nearest cataloged historic site is Port Arthur College (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Gates Memorial Library, Gates Memorial Library, and Gates Memorial Library.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015944. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.