Rockne, Texas facts for kids
Rockne is a small community in Bastrop County, Texas, United States. It's not a city with its own government, but a group of homes and businesses that share a name and history. In 2000, about 400 people lived there. Rockne is part of the larger Austin area.
Quick facts for kids
Rockne, Texas
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 Rockne, Texas
Location in Texas
Rockne, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Bastrop |
| Elevation | 476 ft (145 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 512 & 737 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1366735 |
Contents
History of Rockne
Rockne began with German families settling there before 1846. One of the first families was the Lehman family. Early on, people from Rockne and a nearby community called Meuth shared a church.
Early Churches and Community Names
Seven families started worshipping together in Rockne. Their first church service was held at Phillip Goertz's home in 1876. Later, he and his wife, Catherine, along with Michael and Rebecca Wolf, donated land for a church building. This first church burned down in 1891.
A new church was built in 1892 on 10 acres of land. This land was given by John and Rosina Lehman. This is where the community really started to grow. The area had a few different names over time. It was first called Walnut Creek. Then it was known as Lehman or Lehmanville.
A post office opened in Lehman in 1900. It stayed open until 1903. Later, the community was renamed Hilbigville. This new name honored a businessman named W.M. Hilbig, who started his business there in 1922.
How Rockne Got Its Name
The community got its current name, Rockne, in a very special way. In 1931, the children of the local school voted on the new name. They chose to name it after Knute Rockne. He was a famous football coach who had died in a plane crash earlier that year.
Community Growth and Special Events
For many years, the community made money from agriculture and raising cattle. A third Catholic church was built in Rockne in 1940. It was on the same land where the second church had stood.
In the 1940s, the number of people living in Rockne changed a lot. It went from 150 to 280 residents. By 1950, the population settled at about 150 people. The community's church was updated in 1976. After that, the population grew to 400 and stayed that way through 2000.
Rockne had a special day on March 10, 1988. Its post office opened for just one day. On that day, a special stamp honoring Knute Rockne was released. A statue of Knute Rockne was put in front of the Rockne Museum on March 4, 2006.
Storing Natural Gas
Near Rockne, there is a large underground storage area. It's called the Hilbig Gas Storage Facility. The Lower Colorado River Authority uses it to store natural gas. This facility can hold a huge amount of gas, up to 4 billion cubic feet.
Where is Rockne?
Rockne is located in the southwestern part of Bastrop County. You can find it where Farm-to-Market Roads 20 and 535 meet. It is about 12 miles southwest of Bastrop. Rockne is also 3 miles north of Red Rock.
Schools in Rockne
A school called St. Elizabeth's opened in Rockne in 1900. Its name later changed to Sacred Heart. Students from this school were the ones who helped name the community in 1931.
Today, the Bastrop Independent School District serves Rockne. Students living in the Red Rock area attend several schools. These include Red Rock Elementary School and Cedar Creek Intermediate School. They also go to Cedar Creek Middle School and Cedar Creek High School.
