1877 SCHOOLHOUSE
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THE SCHOOLHOUSE REPLICA
Originally built in 1877
This replica schoolhouse and the adjacent 1887 church form a cornerstone of African American heritage in Fredericksburg.
Today, this historic schoolhouse serves as Gillespie County’s only African American Museum, featuring exhibits like the history of Juneteenth, textiles from the National African American Quilt Guild, and rotating special collections.
1871
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS A report to E.J. Davis, Governor of the State of Texas, from J.C. De Gress, Superintendent of Public Instruction, state of Texas regarding the education of the colored race... "Schools for colored children have been opened all over the state and are crowded to overflowing with children who evince an eager thirst for knowledge, that augurs well for the future of this class of people. Nor are any of the defects in mental capacity, which have been attributed to them, noticeable, but on the contrary, the children evince retentiveness of memory, quickness of perception, and ability to understand, fully equal to any other race. Nor are they less susceptible of being disciplined and induced to behave with decorum and propriety than the same number of white children; and the problem that agitated the Southern mind a few years ago, of what would be the future of the colored people, is settled, for education will make them self-reliant, self-supporting and valuable citizens.”
1877-1922
Right: James Tinker, John Phillips On January 10, 1877, Silas Russel, William McLane, and James Tinker donated $75 to Jacob Schmidt, who in turn conveyed Town lot #198 to Gillespie County Judge William Wahrmund (and his successors in office) “in trust and for public free school purposes…for the benefit of the colored children.” A one-room schoolhouse was constructed and grades 1-6 were taught there. By 1910, the Scholastic Census of Gillespie County listed 27 colored children with 10 colored children attending school in Fredericksburg according to the Scholastic Census of the Independent District of Fredericksburg. Some of the African American (colored) families listed on the census were the Booker, Coleman, Johnson, Phillips, Thompson, and Washington families. Descendants of John Phillips were instrumental in the restoration of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of Fredericksburg and the construction of the current schoolhouse replica. In 1922 the original building was replaced by another one-room schoolhouse on the same foundation and continued to be a place of education for the colored children.
1945-1981
Left: Original Schoolhouse, Teacher Missouri Deavers and class Reportedly, by 1945-46, there were only 5 children enrolled at the school, and it was subsequently closed. The schoolhouse was sold and moved to the property of Dr. Werner Keidel, Sr., a local dentist, for use as a hay barn on his property. After Dr. Keidel’s death in 1981, the 1922 schoolhouse was acquired by Art and Elise Kowert and moved to their property at 106 E. Schubert Street in Fredericksburg, Texas. It was remodeled and today functions as a bed and breakfast.