Cave Creek School

Built in 1881, the Cave Creek School served the surrounding rural community until its consolidation in 1950. During its years of operation, school days ran from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with students bringing their lunches from home.

Children traveled to school on foot, horseback, or in a buggy, and horses were kept in the school pasture during the school day. These everyday details offer a glimpse into the rhythms of early country school life and the strong connection between the school and the land that surrounded it.

Our schools are available be rented for private functions, weddings, and other social gatherings at a nominal fee of $25 per school.

All visits and tours are by appointment only. To make rental arrangements or request additional information, please contact the school’s designated rental representative by phone or submit your request through our Contact Us form. When using the form, be sure to select the school(s) you wish to visit and include your preferred date and details.

For the Cave Creek School, please contact Jan Iwanicki at 830-990-1778.

You’re welcome to explore the school grounds and surrounding property even when no official open house events are scheduled. These historic settings offer opportunities for leisurely walks, bird watching, geo-caching, and quiet reflection.

If the school building is locked, feel free to look through the windows to glimpse the interior. Should a private event be underway, we kindly ask that you respect the occasion and avoid interrupting activities.

To schedule a guided visit or tour of the Cave Creek School, please contact Jan Iwanicki at 830-990-1778, or submit a request through our Contact Us form. When using the form, select Cave Creek School from the dropdown menu and include your preferred date, time, and any additional details.

The Cave Creek School continues to serve as a gathering place for the local community. The organization meets monthly on the third Friday evening for a social featuring 42, straight dominoes, and pinochle. Meetings are open to the public, and guests and new members are always welcome.

The mission of the organization is to restore, improve, and maintain the historic Cave Creek School property while using the site as a community center for friends and neighbors. Since forming in 2005, the organization has accomplished many of its original goals and remains active in preserving the school for future generations.

The Cave Creek School has served as a precinct polling place since 1889.
The building is also home to the Cave Creek 4-H Club.
A bird-watching station has been added to the school property.

In 1865, John Ebert deeded eight acres of land for a school. The school was formally organized in 1870 and named Cave Creek for a nearby creek known for its natural caves. The one-room schoolhouse was completed in 1881, just in time for the September school opening.

Students shared responsibility for maintaining the schoolhouse, cleaning the building and carrying wood for the stove, which stood in the center of the room. That original wood-burning stove remains in use today. Children traveled to school on foot or by donkey, reflecting the community's rural character.

In addition to the natural caves in the area, a man-made cave was dug into a nearby creek bed by a hermit named Berg. Local stories tell that Berg made and sold whiskey in the area. Unaware of the laws, he was eventually warned that his activities were illegal and advised to avoid getting caught. Students from Cave Creek School often visited Berg’s Cave, making it a memorable part of local lore.

The first teacher at Cave Creek School was James A. Larson. Over the course of the school’s 68-year history, there were 20 teachers. Enrollment reached 82 students in 1917, when Miss Cora Hahn was the teacher.

Sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, a stage and pavilion were built on the school grounds. School closings in May became important community events and were always well attended. The day typically included children’s programs and graduation exercises in the afternoon. In the evening, men of the community cooked barbecue sold by the pound, while families brought side dishes and gathered for picnics on blankets spread across the grounds. Adults who had once attended Cave Creek School as children often presented a play, followed by a dance held in the pavilion.

The Cave Creek School closed in 1950, when it was consolidated with the Fredericksburg Independent School District.