Montopolis School was built in 1891 as Montopolis Negro School to serve black students living the Austin/Del Valle area as well as Travis County, Del Valle, and the Montopolis neighborhood. Students who lived in Del Valle attended this school as well. Montopolis School was operated by Colorado Common School District (now Del Valle Independent School District) from 1891 to 1952. Years of operation for this school were from 1891 to 1962. The Montopolis School was a segregated school for black students.
1st grade through 8th grade were taught at the Montopolis School during its time of operation. Kindergarten was added later as required by education law. School stopped after 8th grade. Students who wanted to continue their high school education attended LC Anderson High School in the Rosewood neighborhood in East Austin.
The Montopolis School was always strapped for money and operated on a short schedule annals by todays education standards as many of Travis County’s rural schools were back in those days. School was often held on a short schedule.
The original Montopolis School originated at the location of 100 Bastrop Highway, Austin, Texas, US 78742 near the Colorado River east of US 183. The original Montopolis School was located at 100 Bastrop Highway from 1891 until 1934. From the 1890s on, Montopolis School was a K-8 serving grades 1 through 8. Montopolis School was operated by Colorado Common School District for a number of years. Montopolis School was first called Colorado School No. 4.
The school was first named as Colorado School in the 1890s. Colorado School namesake came from the Colorado River just 1 block away from the school site. Montopolis School was a part of Colorado Common School District from the beginning.
Colorado School No. 4 was renamed to Burditt’s Prairie School sometime during the 1920s. Enrollment dropped a slow rate in 1927. The 1927-1928 school year saw a decline in enrollment.
A flood during a storm destroyed the original school in 1934. The old school building was 94%-95% completely destroyed by the flood during the storm. From 1934 to 1935, the Montopolis School was rebuilt. The new school building was built with wood from the old school building and new wood from a nearby lumber yard. A two-roof frame from former US Army barracks from Camp Swift in Bastrop County was relocated to the site and was renovated for school use.
In 1935, the Montopolis School reopened and classes continued. The site for the new location of the Montopolis School was 500 Montopolis Drive, Austin, Texas, US 78741. St. Edward’s Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. J. H. Harrel donated 1.82 acres of land to Colorado Common School District #36 in 1935. More land was donated to the school overtime as the years passed.
Sometime during the 1930s, the name for Burditt’s Prairie School reverted back to “Colorado School”. The “Colorado School” stuck until the 1940s when it renamed again to Montopolis School.
In 1951, Montopolis School had 43 students in grades 1 through 8. The 1951-1952 school year was the last school year the Montopolis School would operate as a K-8 school covering and serving grades 1 through 8.
1952 is when ownership of the Montopolis School was transferred from Travis County Public Schools and Colorado Common School District (now Del Valle ISD) to Austin Public Schools (now Austin Independent School District aka Austin ISD). The City of Austin annexed the Montopolis neighborhood in the same year. 1952 is when Montopolis School became Montopolis Elementary School.
The building was renovated at a cost of $4,903 in 1952. New equipment was supplied for the school. Toilets and 2 new classrooms were installed. Showers came that maintenance installation. A couple of churches had donated money and equipment to the school.
In 1953 is when the Montopolis School became a K-4 school serving 1st grade through 4th grade. Montopolis Elementary School restructured from being a K-8 school to a K-4 school. For the 1953-1954 school semester, Montopolis Elementary School had 43 pupils in grades 1 through 4.
In 1961, Austin ISD school officials and superintendents declared the Montopolis School building along with the Montopolis School to be “outmoded and outdated”. Supervising teacher John Bell recommended that Montopolis School be shut down and closed with the remaining students to transfer to Sims Elementary School.
On the date of March 30, 1962 is when Montopolis School was closed by Austin ISD. So Austin ISD shut down the school sending its remaining students to continue their education attending nearby schools such as Allison Elementary School, Sims Elementary School, Lamar Elementary School (Lamar School), Del Valle Junior High School, Del Valle Senior High School, Del Valle High School, LC Anderson High School, and Johnston High School.
On May 11, 1964, Austin ISD put up the school property for a bid auction. The highest was at a value of $5,102 and the bidder was O.A. Wilhoitte of Austin. O.A. Wilhoitte purchased the school property from Austin ISD in 1967 for an adjusted value of $5,200 and the school was converted into a church called Montopolis Church of Christ which operated as a community church from 1967 to 1988. In 1968, David Willhoite served as a trustee for Montopolis Church of Christ.
In 1987, the City of Austin allowed eminent domain action to happen for some road construction in an attempted road extension of Grove Boulevard. But however, the city never built the road. Not much is known about if renovations were made or how many improvements were made to the school building itself during that time.
Montopolis Church of Christ was never really a financial success. Money was always tight for this church. Church attendance was rather low as the church was never popular with the community. So Montopolis Church of Christ closed in 1988. The church was abandoned in 1988.
Austin Stowell acquired the property in March 2015 in part of a real estate sale. Austin Stowell purchased the property from David Wilhoitte who owned this property from 1967 to 2015. David Wilhoitte was the sole trustee for the property.
Back in August 2016, city had recommended to initiate historic zoning to keep the Montopolis School from being demolished after they determined the building to be historic. This building qualified for a historical landmark designation, but that alone will not be enough to save the school from further demolition.
In December 2016, groups pressed city hall to preserve the Montopolis School by issuing the property with a historical landmark. The Montopolis Neighborhood Association called upon City of Austin to buy the Montopolis School from Austin Stonewall (Austin Stowell) of KEEP Investment Group.
On the date of 1/3/2017, Austin Stonewall filed an application for demolition however the demolition was denied by the City of Austin. This was to build 15 single family units and apartments as part of his original real estate plan with KEEP Investment Group/Real Estate. However nothing happened.
On the date of September 28, 2017, the Austin City Council voted unanimously to approve the purchase of the former Montopolis Negro School site and agreed to consider changes to how the city designates historical landmarks.
On September 29, 2017, plans for demolition are cancelled as owner Austin Stowell recognizes the significance and importance of the Montopolis School. Everything around the school building has been sheathed in aluminum to help preserve the school building from further deterioration. Austin Stowell refers the property as “mummified” .
Today, Montopolis Church of Christ is currently located in its same position as an original steel framework structure sitting vacant for a number of years. (For which Montopolis Church of Christ has been.) Montopolis Negro School is one of the last of the 42 schools that educated African-American children of Austin/Travis County.
Austin Statesman reports historic properties like the Montopolis School are extremely vulnerable to demolition even thought the city has recommended initiate historic zoning to keep the Montopolis School from being demolished after they determined the building to be historic. This building qualifies for historical landmark designation. The City of Austin and real estate developers are currently debating the outcome for the Montopolis School.
The location is 500 Montopolis Drive, Austin, Texas, US 78741.
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