Sunday, July 2, 2017

Creedmoor School history long forgotten.

Inside a small rural community town called Creedmoor, Texas was a school called Creedmoor School. The first Creedmoor School was built in 1880 as a log cabin. The school was a one room school located inside the log cabin. Later an additional room was added on to the one room school. The school was built on the same site of Creedmoor Co-op Gin. Creedmoor School was operated by Creedmoor Common School District as a K-12 School from 1880 to 1967.

Ms. Bell Miller and Ms. Ida Rice were the first teachers at Creedmoor School. The faculty was increased to 3 teachers and a second principal. Ms. Ida Rice was the first teacher to teach at Creedmoor School. Their first school board members consisted of Dr. R. Ailton, Jake Steussey, and J.D. Campbell. Grades 1-12 were taught at here at first.

Creedmoor School was also known as Willow Springs School. This name was chosen from the many willow trees in the area. These willow trees surrounded the springs nearby. Willow trees grow near springs. Willow tree were common in the Creedmoor area as most of the land was farmland.

In 1909, a 4 room building was erected within a 2 to 4 bock radius near the intersection of FM 1327 & FM 1625. The four room building served as the elementary and high school. The building was erected to accommodate increased enrollment. Playground equipment was donated by local citizens.

In 1921, a disastrous tornado destroyed the school building. Another building was swept away by a cyclone. School was conducted in a local Creedmoor church on FM 1625 while the schools were being planned and constructed. Construction period was 2 years from 1921 to 1923. Creedmoor School was completed in 1923. This time the Creedmoor School was built as a building with 6 rooms. Creedmoor School was a K-12 school from 1880 until 1925.

In 1925, the 6 room building served as Creedmoor High School and Creedmoor Elementary School was served in a log cabin. Creedmoor High School operated in the 6 room school building from 1925 until 1950. In 1950, the elementary school was incorporated into the 6 room building known as the Creedmoor School. This made Creedmoor School a K-12 school again.

1955 is when the 1923 school building was demolished. In its place was a 1 story building separated into 3 units. One being elementary school, the other being middle school, and the last one being high school. The 1955 school building was built at a cost of $22,000. The 1955 school building was built out of recycled building material and bricks from the 1923 school building. Which made this school unique.

In 1955, a portion of the log cab that once served as a 1-12 school which then served as Creedmoor Elementary School was demolished. The year of 1955 faced increased enrollment. The log cabin was demolished altogether in 1956. 1957 is when the school faced more enrollment.


In 1965, the school added more educational programs. For instance, Creedmoor Elementary School was home to a bilingual program at one time. Spanish language was taught in grades 1-5 and 6th grade as well. The bilingual program got phenomenal reception worldwide in part from its dedicated teachers. A few news storylines appeared on newspapers and dissertations in the United States and across the globe.


In 1967, both Creedmoor Common School District and Creedmoor School were consolidated into Del Valle Independent School District. In the same year, Creedmoor School had been restricted into an elementary school thus becoming Creedmoor Elementary School. Creedmoor Elementary School and Creedmoor High School were operated by Creedmoor Common School District from 1880 until 1967.

1967 is when Creedmoor High School students were transferred to Del Valle High School. Junior high school students and middle school students were transferred to Del Valle Junior High School, Ojeda Middle School, and Del Valle Middle School. Some elementary students were transferred to Smith Elementary School in Austin, Texas or to Popham Elementary School in Del Valle, Texas.


Creedmoor School was a K-8 School by 1968. Creedmoor School boasted an attendance rate of 200 students by 1968. In 1969 Creedmoor School boasted an attendance rate of 300 students. By 1972, Creedmoor School was a K-5 School. When Smith Elementary School opened in 1975, students from Creedmoor Elementary School were transferred to that school the day it opened. That was done in an effort to relieve overcrowding.

In 2003, Del Valle ISD purchased land from longtime resident Annie M. Caldwell for a new school to be built in order to accommodate increased enrollment. This school would become an elementary school instead of a K-12 school. Construction started in 2003. The house and other buildings owned by Annie Caldwell were demolished. Construction of this school was finally finished in 2004. The 1955 Creedmoor School resided in its same location until 2004 when a new school was opened east of town.

In 2004, a new school building was erected east of Creedmoor and the old school building was demolished during that same year. Construction period for Creedmoor Elementary School was from 2003-2004. An opening ceremony for opening grounds was held east of town on the site of the current Creedmoor School in 2004. Today the Creedmoor School is known as Creedmoor Elementary School which now located at 6504 FM 1327, Creedmoor, Texas, US 78610.


The legacy of Creedmoor School still lives on even with no designated Texas Historic Landmark markers in sight or the vicinity of this small rural community. Creedmoor, Texas has evolved from a small rural community to a small town with an enormous farm land. Creedmoor School is one of the many Austin/Travis County institutions that have been long forgotten.

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