Meusebach Creek School was built in the 1930s and consolidated in 1954. School records and photographs show that many rural schools in Gillespie County reflected the diverse communities they served.

One of the earliest examples dates to 1869, when Henry, Laura, Minnie, Ovie, and George Washington—children of formerly enslaved parents—attended Meusebach Creek School with other children from the area. This makes Meusebach Creek one of the earliest known integrated schools in the South.

The first Meusebach Creek School, District #11, was located near Meusebach Creek on the Fritz Lochte property. It was a small square cabin with only 96 square feet of space. The walls were made of logs filled with mortar, and the roof was covered with shingles. Inside, the simple furnishings included a stove, long benches, and a teacher’s desk and chair.

As the western part of the district grew, a larger school was built on the Fritz Lochte property in the 1880s. This stone building had four windows and one door. O. W. Striegler continued teaching in the new school and introduced school closings and Prüfungen, or examinations. During these afternoon programs, students answered questions and demonstrated their progress in writing. After the examinations, games were played.

The curriculum included arithmetic, reading in both German and English, writing, spelling, and geography. Later, a new state law required all subjects, except foreign language, to be taught in English. The school also began receiving state support, which added two “free” months to the school year when families did not have to pay tuition. Some children were only able to attend during those months. Students purchased their own textbooks, and teacher salaries averaged about $20 per month.

In 1897, trustees decided to build a third school structure. Louis Bonn donated one acre of land for the new frame building, making it the first land actually owned by the school. The building was 1½ stories tall, with the half story used as an attic for storage.

The Social and Improvement Club was organized in 1917 and became the predecessor of today’s community club. Over the years, the club provided new desks, a cistern, a telephone, and many other improvements.

By the 1930s, the district was financially able to build a modern school. This fourth and final building was a frame structure with nine windows and two entrances. It included a large classroom, a library, and a cloakroom.

Meusebach Creek School consolidated with the Fredericksburg Independent School District in 1954, after serving the community’s children for 90 years. Its history is especially significant because Henry, Laura, Minnie, Ovie, and George Washington attended school there with other children in 1869, making Meusebach Creek one of the earliest known integrated schools in the South.