Begun as an elementary and secondary school for boys and girls in 1886, Allen became a college preparatory boarding school for boys, evolved into a nationally ranked military academy and junior college, and then retuned to its beginning in 1986 as a college preparatory school for boys and girls of all ages in PreSchool through 12th grade.

Our school traces its beginnings to Madison Academy, founded by Mississippians John H. and Rivers O. Allen in Madisonville, Texas in 1886. Founded as an elementary and secondary school for boys and girls, it became Madison College in 1895 and then Allen in 1896.

The Allen brothers decided to move their school to Bryan because of the town's growing rail connections, its central location between Houston, Waco, Dallas, and Austin, and because they envisioned their school becoming a preparatory school for the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College. Several prominent citizens of Bryan encouraged the move and helped establish Allen as a boarding school for boys in 1899. Allen quickly earned a reputation as an outstanding college preparatory school.

In 1917, thirty years after its founding and with the coming of World War I, Allen once again adapted to the needs of the times; military training was added to the academy's academic programs. Over more than sixty years, Allen earned a reputation unmatched by any other military school in Texas and unbeaten by any military preparatory school in the nation. Beginning in 1922 and continuing in an unbroken record until 1983, Allen and its Corps of Cadets earned the United States Army's highest rating as an Honor Military School with Distinction.

In the late 1980's, Allen purchased 30 acres of land on the corner of Highway 1179 and Booneville Road in Bryan. Prefabricated buildings were installed which are still in use today. Given the social change of the past two decades, 1986 saw the end of its military training and by 1988 the school had returned to its founders' original concept of a college preparatory school for boys and girls.

The century old dream of our pioneer educators is alive. Allen's heritage is exciting, grand, and epic in triumph. Mirroring our history, our school's future will doubtless be one of innovation and vision for the next century.