Cave Creek School
Why it's listed
Cave Creek School is a one-room frame schoolhouse completed in 1881 at the center of a scattered farming community about ten miles northeast of Fredericksburg, Texas. The building measures 18 by 36 feet, has pressed tin siding over the original shiplap, and is heated by a central wood stove. Around it on eight acres are a stage and pavilion from about 1930-33, a cistern, barbecue pits, and two privies, most added during the Depression. The school was organized as common school district number 4 in 1890 and always had a single teacher for all grades. Attendance peaked at 82 students in 1917. Year-end celebrations with barbecue, plays and dances raised money for repairs. After the school closed in 1950 and joined the Fredericksburg district, the grounds continued to host gatherings and reunions. Little has been altered, so the site conveys rural education and community life in German-settled Gillespie County.
Significance in brief: The school is significant under Criterion A in the area of Education at the local level. It shows how rural schooling worked in German-settled Gillespie County, where the school also served as the social center of a dispersed farming community. It has changed little since it closed in 1950 and retains a high degree of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04001415, listed December 29, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 470 Cave Creek Rd., Fredericksburg |
|---|---|
| County | Gillespie County |
| Listed | December 29, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001415 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881-1950 |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed as a school in 1950; now used as a community clubhouse and gathering place. Contributing resources are described as being in good or very good condition. |
| Acreage | 12.1 |
| Coordinates | 30.30815, -98.72710 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04001415.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5054895
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.