Wrede School

School Snapshot

Quick details for visitors

Location 3828 South State Highway 16
Established 1896
School Type One-room country school
Access Grounds open; building open during events (when scheduled)
Directions Open in Google Maps
Open Houses View upcoming dates

Wrede School was built in 1896 and consolidated in 1960. Lumber for the school was hauled by wagon from Comfort, Texas, and classes began on October 15, 1896, with 46 students enrolled.

Enrollment reached as high as 53 students in the 1950s. In 1949, Pedernales School was consolidated with Wrede, and students from Bear Creek School were also later consolidated with Wrede. During its 64-year history, Wrede had 24 teachers. Teacher salaries ranged from about $28 per month in 1896 to approximately $288 per month by 1959.

Although many students did not speak English when they entered first grade, speaking German on the school grounds was forbidden.

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 Wrede School, please contact Marjorie Otte at 830-644-2655 or Violet Ottmers at 830-456-3708.

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 Wrede School, please contact Marjorie Otte at 830-644-2655 or Violet Ottmers at 830-456-3708., or submit a request through our Contact Us form. When using the form, select Wrede School from the dropdown menu and include your preferred date, time, and any additional details.

The Wrede Bear Creek School Community Club was reorganized in November 2001, with 15 former students present. From January through May, the club meets on the third Friday at 6:30 p.m. for a meal, fellowship, and card and domino games. The club also gathers in July for Fourth of July fireworks watching.

Wrede School was built on land owned by Friedrich von Wrede. Early organizers included Julius Ransleben, May Ransleben, Carl Hilker, Jacob Usener, William Schnerr, Theo Boos, and Louis Crenwelge.

The original wooden school building was constructed in 1896 using lumber hauled by wagon from Comfort, Texas. Classes began on October 15, 1896. A hand-dug well supplied water for the school, which was located on the Kerrville Highway near what is now Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. The schoolhouse has never been moved from its original location.

In July 1949, Bear Creek School was consolidated with Wrede School. Wrede then operated as a two-teacher school from 1949 until 1959, and enrollment during this period reached approximately 53 students.

Over its 64 years of operation, Wrede School was served by 24 teachers. Some taught for a time, left for several years, and later returned. In 1896, a teacher’s salary was about $28 per month. By 1959, a teacher might receive about $288 per month.

Like many rural schoolhouses, Wrede also served as a community gathering place. Residents came together there for parties and dances, and the 4-H Club and Extension Homemakers Club also met at the school. In later years, elections were held in the schoolhouse.

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.