Rheingold School (Gillespie County, Texas) facts for kids
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Rheingold School
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Rheingold School
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 Rheingold School
Location in Texas
Rheingold School
Location in the United States
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| Location | 334 Rheingold School Rd., Fredericksburg, Texas |
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| Area | 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) |
| Built | 1873 |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000388 |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 2005 |
The Rheingold School is an old school building located in Gillespie County, Texas. It can be found at 334 Rheingold School Road.
This historic building stopped being a school in 1949. It then joined the Fredericksburg Independent School District. Today, the building is used as a community center. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
The Rheingold Community
The Rheingold community started in 1859. It was built near North Grape Creek, about 13.5 miles northeast of Fredericksburg, Texas. Early families who settled here included Heinrich Herbert and Gottfried Ottmers.
The area became known as Rheingold because many of the land and business owners were the families of German immigrants named Jacob and Peter Gold. They had sadly passed away during a cholera outbreak.
Rheingold used to be a busy little town. It had a general store, a cotton gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers), a dance hall, and a blacksmith shop. It even had a gas station. Most of these businesses were owned by the Gold family.
In 1878, Rheingold got its own post office. William Grobe was the first postmaster. The post office stayed open until 1907. After that, mail for the community came from Willow City, Texas. In 1908, the name Rheingold was officially shortened to Gold for a new post office. This Gold post office closed in 1931. After that, mail came from Johnson City, Texas.
The Rheingold School Building
In 1873, William Gold gave 2 acres of his land. He wanted to help the community build a school for their children. Families in the area worked together to build the school. They also provided the materials needed.
The very first school building was a small log house, about 12 feet by 14 feet. Later, a bigger schoolhouse made of wood was built. This new school had a wood stove inside to keep it warm in winter. It also had separate outdoor bathrooms for girls and boys. The students got their water from a hand pump in the schoolyard.
August Schuchard was the first teacher at Rheingold School. He taught students from first grade all the way up to eighth grade. For the first six months, students could attend school for free. But if they wanted to stay until the end of the school year, their families had to pay a small fee.
The Rheingold School stopped operating on its own in 1949. It then became part of the Fredericksburg Independent School District. On May 6, 2005, the Rheingold School was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the old school building is used as a community center. It is a place where people from the area can gather for events and meetings.
