Saturday, February 3, 2018

History behind the small Cox Springs School in Lago Vista, Texas revisited.

Cox Springs School was built in 1908 as a white squared one-room building located at the intersection of Lohman Ford Road & Sylvester Ford Road in Lago Vista, Texas. Cox Springs School was built for both the Cox Springs School District and Lago Vista Common School District (now Lago Vista ISD). Cox Springs School was known as Cox Springs School House when the school district first opened this school.

Grades 1 through 10 were taught at Cox Springs School. Grades 11 and 12 were transferred to Leander High School in Leander, Texas operated by Leander ISD. Grades 1 through 11 attended this school starting in 1909. More 11th grade students were admitted to the school in the 1909-1910 school year by Cox Springs School District.

Cox Springs School established its own school district called Cox Springs School District in 1908. Lago Vista Common School District aka Lago Vista Common School District No. 2 was better known as Lago Vista Common School District.

Beginning in 1910 is when Lago Vista Common School District began overseeing school operations for Cox Springs School District. After 10th grade, Cox Springs School students either completed their high school education at Leander High School in Leander, Texas or Lago Vista School on Lohman Ford Road. Most Cox Springs School students transferred to Leander High School rather than Lago Vista School. Lago Vista School did not always have state funding to educate grades 11 and 12.


As a school building, Cox Springs School would remain at the intersection of Lohman Ford Road & Sylvester Ford Road in Lago Vista, Texas from 1908 to 1940 before the school building was relocated to Old Burnet Road in Jonestown, Texas.

Cox Springs School had its own school district called Cox Springs School District from 1908 to 1950 before being consolidated into Lago Vista Common School District. Lago Vista Common School District aka Lago Vista Common School District No. 2 was better known as Lago Vista Common School District.


In 1940, the Cox Springs School building was moved from the intersection of Lohman Ford Road & Sylvester Ford Road in Lago Vista, Texas and relocated to Old Burnet Road in Jonestown, Texas at a road called Natures Way. Natures Way near Old Burnet Road in Jonestown is now a modern day neighborhood called The Bluffs.

The reason why Cox Springs School was moved to Jonestown in 1940 was because water elevation in Lake Travis was rising. So rather than risk the school being located in a floodplain, the Cox Springs School District decided to relocated the school building. Mr. J. J. Carlton generously donated land to Lago Vista Common School District.


1950 is when Cox Springs School District was renamed to Lago Vista Independent School District (Lago Vista ISD). The Cox Springs School District name was abolished. Cox Springs School was a 1-12 school by then. Grade 12 was added in 1950 due to Gilmer-Aiken Law mandated by the State of Texas. More funds went towards the school district that following year.

In 1955, the little red building known as Lago Vista School was rebuilt in 1955 at the location of 7610 Lohman Ford Road. From 1955 to 1960, Lago Vista School was a 1-12 school teaching grades 1 through 12. To Lago Vista citizens and locals, Lago Vista school was known as the “the little red schoolhouse” or the “little red building"on 7610 Lohman Ford Road. During 1955 is when Cox Springs School became a 1-10 school again.

Lago Vista Common School District was renamed to Lago Vista Independent School District in 1955. The state legislature brought forth changes in public education during the 1955-1956 school by consolidating rural schools districts and common school districts into bigger neighboring school districts in an attempt of education reform and saving costs. Several common school districts were consolidated, abolished, renamed to “independent school districts”, or merged to bigger neighboring school districts.


The last group of students from grades 1st through 10th attending Cox Springs School were moved to Lago Vista School in 1960. Lago Vista School only taught grades 1 through 10 in 1960 and afterwords. Students in grades 11 and 12 completed their high school education at Leander High School. Cox Springs School was shut down in 1960.

From 1960 to 1978 is when Lago Vista ISD used the Cox Springs School building for storage. The building was used for storage until 1978. In 1978 the building was abandoned.

In 2010, North Shore Heritage & Cultural Society along with Travis County Historical Commission began making efforts to save the school. The walls were repainted the original white color it always had. Plaques and signs were designed for the school giving the building a description. In this description is the history of Cox Springs School.


Currently as of January 2018, the North Shore Heritage & Cultural Society and former students are working with the City of Lago Vista, City of Jonestown, and Travis County Historical Commission to move the school building onto a permanent location. North Shore Heritage & Cultural Society and former students are working to restore the former school building. North Shore Heritage & Cultural Society wants to save this building in an attempt of historic preservation so students of today can see how students who lived in Lago Vista and Jonestown during the early 20th century received their education. Both commissions plan to keep the old school in tact.

Both the City of Lago Vista and City of Jonestown consider Cox Springs School to be a historical building despite no Texas Historic Landmark marker. Although there is no Texas Historic Landmark marker, a brown metal sign about the school’s history is located behind the school building facing Old Burnet Road. Cox Springs School is one of the oldest buildings in Lago Vista next to the Lago Vista School which is commonly known as “the little red schoolhouse” to local citizens and historians.


Although the Cox Springs School is considered to be in Lago Vista, Texas, the actual location the school building is currently located at is 18842 Old Burnet Road, Jonestown, Texas, US 78645. The alternate address is 18842 Old Burnet Road, Leander, Texas, US 78645.

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