Elroy School was built in the community settlement of Elroy located in Del Valle, Texas in summer of 1894. Lumber to construct the Elroy School was donated by citizens in the community. Many citizens in the community helped build this school. Elroy School was a K-12 school which primarily operated as a K-9 school although older students attended. Mainly Elroy School operated as a K-9 school under the school districts of Elroy School District and Colorado Common School District. Older students often went into town to continue their education.
Mr. Daniel Ross was the first trustee for the Elroy School then. Mr. Daniel Ross then hired Mrs. A Pettis to teach at the Elroy School in 1894. Mrs. A Pettis was the first teacher to teach at Elroy School. Mr. Daniel Ross was in charge of Elroy School at the time.
Semesters were run in a six month time period. It was an agreement with Travis County Common School District superintendents that the rural school districts semesters were to run on a minimum of six months yearly per school term. Elroy School was one of the many Travis County rural schools than operated in such fashion.
Elroy School was a K-12 school which primarily operated as a K-9 school although older students attended. Sometimes students who wanted to continue their high school education had to transfer into school districts such as Creedmoor Common School District, Garfield School District, Del Valle Independent School District, or go the largest school district in town called Austin Independent School District. Sometimes students had to transfer to other school districts to continue their high school education depending on the availability of such said school districts stated above.
Two teachers were employed to the Elroy School in 1901. These two teachers had to teach in the same room. After 1903, the school term was extended to 7 months instead of the average 6 months most school districts in Texas had at that time. Elroy School was described as “one of the prettiest schoolhouses in the county” in the 1905 Travis County School Annual. A second room was added the summer of 1906. The third room was added in 1909. A third teacher was added that same year. The 1911 school term was lengthened to 8 months. In 1916, the wooden Elroy School was demolished and replaced as red brick schoolhouse which still stands today. That was when Elroy School was a three room schoolhouse.
The Elroy School on 9019 Elroy Road was the “main school”. For a while, the Elroy School on 9019 Elroy Road served primarily as an elementary school. Swing sets out in the front indicated that Elroy School was an elementary school. When Elroy School was an elementary school, grades 1 through 9 were taught and older students had to go into town to continue their education.
That Elroy School served primarily as an elementary school called Elroy Elementary School from where grades 1 through 9 were taught. Later the Elroy School only taught grades 1 through 8 even though older students attend this school when there was no open space available in other schools.
The Elroy School District had its own segregated schools which were separated by race. Such as the Elroy Negro School, Elroy White School, and Elroy Mexican School for instance. Segregation law of the land in Texas State. Small community settlement Elroy, Texas was no exception to this case.
The Elroy White School was the Elroy School located on 9019 Elroy Road which still stands today. The Elroy White School was the “main school”. This is the school that served as the Elroy Community Center from years 1965 to 1988. Elroy White School had a ratio of 2 teachers to 107 white students with the ratio being 2:107 in the year of 1907.
Elroy Negro School served as a school for black/African-American students who lived in the Elroy community located on 14107 FM 812. Elroy Negro School had a ratio of 2 teachers to 61 black students with the ratio being 2:61 in the year of 1907. Elroy Negro School taught elementary grades primarily. Elroy Negro School was converted into Elroy Elementary School in 1950. From 1950 to 1963, Elroy Elementary School was taught here. In 1963 after consolidating with Del Valle ISD, the Elroy Negro School was demolished. No traces of Elroy Negro School exist today.
These schools were eventually consolidated into Colorado Common School District in 1961 which eventually was restructured into Del Valle Independent School District (Del Valle ISD) in 1963. The schools separated by race were demolished, shut down by Del Valle ISD, auctioned off, or sold to private homeowners.
In 1961 Elroy School and Elroy School District were consolidated into Colorado Common School District in 1961 and consolidated & restructured into Del Valle Independent School District (Del Valle ISD) in 1963.
1963 is when Elroy School was closed. In 1965, the Elroy School became the Elroy Community Center. From 1965 to 1988 the Elroy School operated as a community center. In 1980, the school building received a series of renovations from Del Valle Independent School District bond elections. For a short time in the 1980s, Y Knot Ranch owned and leased the building to various businesses and organizations. Both Y Knot Ranch and Del Valle ISD own the property together through a joint venture.
In late 1988, Travis County Fire Rescue purchased the Elroy School from Del Valle Independent School District and Y Knot Ranch. In 1989, the former Elroy School building became a fire station for Travis County. Fire station Travis County Fire Rescue ESD #11 currently serves a majority of southeastern Travis County. In recent years buildings were added onto Elroy School. 2 buildings were added next to the former Elroy School building.
In an August 24, 1989 edition of the Austin American-Statesman newspaper explains the red brick schoolhouse has been converted to a fire station. (The red brick schoolhouse is Elroy School.)
On the date of September 21st, 2016, an upgrade to existing electric services was made and added on.
Only the existing fire house received an eud. A couple of more renovations were added on approval from Travis County commissioners. On this date, the building was declared up to code by Travis County commissioners.
Today Travis County Fire Rescue owns the former Elroy School building and property operating under the name of Travis County Fire Rescue ESD #11. The school is located at 9019 Elroy Road, Del Valle, Texas, US 78617. The alternate addresses are 9019 Farm to Market Road 812, Del Valle, Texas, US 78617 and 9019 FM 812 Del Valle, Texas, US 78617.
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