Creedmoor School history long forgotten revisited.

This new article explains the history of Creedmoor School in Creedmoor, Texas from its establishment in 1880 to its current standing as of 2018.

Creedmoor School was built and established as Willow Springs School in 1880 as a 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 also know as Creedmoor Gin.

Creedmoor School was first 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 trees were common in the Creedmoor area as most of the land was farmland. The school was later named Creedmoor School.

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. Ms. Bell Miller was the second 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.

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 both the elementary school and high school. The building was erected to accommodate increased enrollment. Playground equipment was donated by local citizens. By 1915 the school district had boasted an enrollment of 200 students.

In 1921, a disastrous tornado destroyed the school building. Another school building was swept away by a cyclone. School was conducted in a local Creedmoor church (Creedmoor Union Church) on FM 1625 while the school buildings were being planned and constructed. Construction period had ranged 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 becoming a 6 room school building. The 6 room Creedmoor School building was a K-12 school from 1923 until 1925.

In 1925, the 6 room building served as Creedmoor High School and Creedmoor Elementary School was served in a log cabin and later the old Creedmoor Negro School building was moved to the site of the new Creedmoor School. 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 the 1923 school building for Creedmoor School a K-12 school again. The Creedmoor Common School District was known as Common School District No. 41 or simply School No. 41 on Travis County school district maps.


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 log cabin that once served as a 1-12 school then serving as Creedmoor Elementary School was demolished. The year of 1955 faced increased enrollment.

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. The bottom floor was the only portion that remained from the 1923 school building.

Creedmoor School was operated by Creedmoor Common School District as a K-12 school from 1880 to 1955. Creedmoor High School was demolished in 1955. The 1956-1957 school year is when the school faced more enrollment. 500 students were enrolled within the school district.


Creedmoor School was home to a bilingual program. Del Valle ISD hosted an educational program at Creedmoor Elementary School (Creedmoor School) called Del Valle School Bilingual Culture Program at one time in 1966 to 1973 so on. Spanish language was taught in grades 1-5 and 6th grade as well within this educational program. The concept of “machismo” in Latin American life was taught in the program. Half the of the students enrolled in the program were Hispanic despite the program being diversely compromised into mixed races. The program started with 127 students within its first year.

The bilingual program got phenomenal reception worldwide in part from its dedicated teachers. A few news storylines appeared on newspapers, articles, thesis documents, newsletters, and dissertations in the United States and across the globe. As a result, this program was eventually extended into other Del Valle schools such as Popham School, Lamar School, Del Valle Elementary School, and Del Valle Middle School. Del Valle Middle School was one of the last Del Valle schools to implement this program into a Del Valle ISD school.

A grant from the state was given to the school for its bilingual education program under the Title II Act. Funding had depended on congressional action. It was under the Title II Act where funding for this bilingual education had depended on congressional action.

In 1966 the school added more educational to the Creedmoor School programs and as an addition to this bilingual education program. 1966 is the same year when Creedmoor School became a K-8 school entirely. Soon more educational programs followed. Grade 9 was taught there until reconstruction of  Del Valle High School was completed.


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 redistricted 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, Lamar School, or to Popham Elementary School (Popham School) in Del Valle, Texas. Creedmoor School would eventually become Creedmoor Elementary School.

Creedmoor School was a K-8 School by 1968. Creedmoor School boasted an attendance rate of 200 students by 1968. Despite consolidation in 1968, Creedmoor did not shut down and still had continued to operate. Creedmoor School had boasted an attendance rate of 300 students by 1969.

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. Smith Elementary School (Smith School) was opened in an effort to relieve overcrowding at Creedmoor School.

In 1976, Creedmoor School closed down due to lack of space to accommodate growth in enrollment. Creedmoor School shared and rented space with Creedmoor Union Church for a short period of time. Students were tranfserred to nearby schools. Creedmoor Common School District closed for good in 1978.

Creedmoor Common School District and Del Valle ISD sold the 1 story school building to a woman named Dorothy Brock (Dorothy Loveless Brock) and her husband who lived in a trailer next to the school building from 1978 to 1991.

In 1986, Developers, architects, and engineers attempted to save the Creedmoor School and have the school be given a Texas Historic Landmark. However due to lack of cooperation from Dorothy Brock, this never happened the building fell into disrepair. By 1986, the school building fell into a state of disrepair and needed much extensive renovation. Many fixes needed to be made. The roof was leaking and needed repairs to be done. Wall structures were determined to be sound.

In 1991 Dorthy Brock sold the Creedmoor School building and property to Dennis Wilhoite and Schmidt Cattle LP. Dennis Wilhoite sold the land to a trust bank in 1992. Again in 1992, the Schmidt Cattle bought out the surrounding property.


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 in Del Valle schools. This school would become an elementary school instead of a K-12 school called Creedmoor Elementary School. Construction started in 2003. Construction period for Creedmoor Elementary School was from 2003-2004. The house and other buildings owned by Annie Caldwell were demolished. The 1955 Creedmoor School was demolished in 2004 when the new school was opened east of town.

Construction of this school was finally finished in 2004. An opening ceremony for opening grounds was held east of town on the site of the current Creedmoor School in 2004. 600 to 760 citizens attended the opening ceremony.

The 1955 Creedmoor School was demolished in 2004 when the new school was opened east of town. By 2005 the  Creedmoor School was demolished for good. No remaining traces were found. In 2007 J S Electric Inc built a warehouse on the former Creedmoor School property where the school building once was. Both Schmidt Cattle LP and J S Electric own the property.
 

 
Today the Creedmoor School is known as Creedmoor Elementary School which now located at 6504 FM 1327, Creedmoor, Texas, US 78610. Today Creedmoor Elementary School has the highest enrollment rates of any Del Valle ISD schools as 2018.

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 enormous farm land. Creedmoor School is one of the many Austin/Travis County educational institutions that have been long forgotten.