The current Mobile County Public School System can trace its beginnings to the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, created by the Alabama Legislature through an act passed on January 10, 1826.
 This was the first education board created in Alabama.

The act to establish the board was introduced by Willoughby Barton, a legislator from Mobile.
 The first school building built by the board, Barton Academy, was named in his honor.
 It was built in the block between Government, Cedar, Conti, and Lawrence Streets, which was purchased by this first board for $2750 in 1830.
 Lack of funding stalled progress on the project until an act was passed in the state legislature that allowed the commissioners to raise funds through a lottery.
 By early 1836 the board had managed to pull together $50,000 in lottery funds, a $15,000 municipal loan, and additional private donations with which to commence building a school.
 This included a large private donation from local millionaire Henry Hitchcock, who was also on the building committee.
 Construction commenced on February 13, 1836 and, after several delays, was finally completed in January 1839.

Following completion of Barton Academy, the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County then allowed the building to be used for private and denominational schools, with some funding appropriated to them by the commissioners.
 An act in 1846 allowed for taxes to be collected for the establishment of a free Methodist school by the commission.
 The commission was behind another act on February 9, 1852 that would have allowed the commission to sell the building, which was now in need of maintenance and repairs, and distribute the proceeds among the existing schools, if approved by the voters.
 The electorate rejected this and subsequently elected a new board of commissioners.

After the election of the new board, the building was repaired and the system was reorganized.
 The building reopened as a public school in November 1852.
 The school was closed for the duration of the American Civil War.
 The Girls High School reopened in 1865, followed by the Boys High School in 1870.
 Both would continue at Barton until the opening of Murphy High School in 1926.
 It continued to serve as a school building until the 1960s when it was converted into the central office for the Mobile County Public School System.
 The school board relocated to a new central office complex in 2007, leaving the historic building vacant.
The Barton Academy building was added to Alabama Historical Commission's "Places in Peril" list in 2009.
The current Mobile County Public School System can trace its beginnings to the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, created by the Alabama Legislature through an act passed on January 10, 1826.  This was the first education board created in Alabama.
The act to establish the board was introduced by Willoughby Barton, a legislator from Mobile.  The first school building built by the board, Barton Academy, was named in his honor.  It was built in the block between Government, Cedar, Conti, and Lawrence Streets, which was purchased by this first board for $2750 in 1830.  Lack of funding stalled progress on the project until an act was passed in the state legislature that allowed the commissioners to raise funds through a lottery.  By early 1836 the board had managed to pull together $50,000 in lottery funds, a $15,000 municipal loan, and additional private donations with which to commence building a school.  This included a large private donation from local millionaire Henry Hitchcock, who was also on the building committee.  Construction commenced on February 13, 1836 and, after several delays, was finally completed in January 1839.
Following completion of Barton Academy, the Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County then allowed the building to be used for private and denominational schools, with some funding appropriated to them by the commissioners.  An act in 1846 allowed for taxes to be collected for the establishment of a free Methodist school by the commission.  The commission was behind another act on February 9, 1852 that would have allowed the commission to sell the building, which was now in need of maintenance and repairs, and distribute the proceeds among the existing schools, if approved by the voters.  The electorate rejected this and subsequently elected a new board of commissioners.
After the election of the new board, the building was repaired and the system was reorganized.  The building reopened as a public school in November 1852.  The school was closed for the duration of the American Civil War.  The Girls High School reopened in 1865, followed by the Boys High School in 1870.  Both would continue at Barton until the opening of Murphy High School in 1926.  It continued to serve as a school building until the 1960s when it was converted into the central office for the Mobile County Public School System.  The school board relocated to a new central office complex in 2007, leaving the historic building vacant. The Barton Academy building was added to Alabama Historical Commission's "Places in Peril" list in 2009.
Mobile County Public School System