Wrede School is located at 3929 S. State Highway 16, Fredericksburg,

Gillespie County, Texas Gillespie County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 26,725. The county seat is Fredericksburg. It is located in the heart of the rural Texas Hill Country in Centra ...

. It was first built in 1896. The school district was consolidated with Fredericksburg Independent School District in 1960. The schoolhouse now serves as a community center. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places in Texas National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

on June 1, 2005.

Community background

The land on which the schoolhouse sits was owned by Friedrich Wilhelm von Wrede Jr (1820–?) who was born in Germany. Friedrich Jr. first came to Texas as a teenager with his family in 1836. He returned alone to Germany in 1843, but came back to Texas in 1844 as

Adelsverein The ''Mainzer Adelsverein at Biebrich am Rhein'' (''Verein zum Schutze Deutscher Einwanderer in Texas'', "Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas"), better known as the ''Mainzer Adelsverein'' (, "Nobility Society of Mainz"), orga ...

secretary to

Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels Prince Carl (Karl) of Solms-Braunfels (27 July 1812 – 13 November 1875), was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearhe ...

. He helped settle

New Braunfels New Braunfels ( ) is a city in Comal County, Texas, Comal and Guadalupe County, Texas, Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas known for its German Texan heritage. It is the county seat, seat of Comal County. The city covers and had a popula ...

, and was one of the group who accompanied John O. Meusebach on the trip to make the 1847

Meusebach–Comanche Treaty The Meusebach–Comanche Treaty was a treaty made on May 9, 1847 between the private citizens of the Fisher–Miller Land Grant in Texas (United States), who were predominantly German in nationality, and the Penateka Comanche Tribe. The treaty ...

. Wrede remained in Fredericksburg to establish a business enterprise. From 1850–1851, he served as County Clerk of

Gillespie County Gillespie County is a County (United States), county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 26,725. The county seat is Fredericksburg, Texas, Fredericksburg ...

. He married Sophie Bonzano, and the first four of their children were born in Fredericksburg. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, Wrede served in the Gillespie Rifles, Thirty-first Brigade, under Captain Charles H. Nimitz, grandfather of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. In 1865, the Wrede family returned to Germany. Friedrich Wilhelm von Wrede Sr. (1786–1845) was the author of ''Lebensbilder aus den vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerika und Texas'' (Sketches of life in the United States of North America and Texas) first published in 1844 and later reprinted in English in 1970. The book was influential in persuading prospective German colonists to emigrate to Texas. He was a manager of Nassau Plantation. He and botanist Oscar von Claren were scalped and murdered in 1845 by Indians while camped near

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

School

The first schoolhouse was constructed in 1896, from lumber hauled in from

Comfort Comfort (or being comfortable'')'' is a sense of physical or psychological ease, often characterized as a lack of hardship. Persons who are lacking in comfort are uncomfortable, or experiencing discomfort. A degree of psychological comfort c ...

. The water supply was a hand dug well. The first school session opened with forty-six students on October 15, 1896. The Pedernales school and Bear Creek school were combined with Wrede in 1949. During its peak enrollment period in the 1950s, two teachers served fifty-three students. Teacher salary spanned the $28 a month paid in 1896 to upwards of $288 by 1959. Over its sixty-four year history, twenty-four teachers served the student body. Unusual for a community where only German was spoken in homes, speaking the German language on the school grounds was not allowed. The school was consolidated with Fredericksburg Independent School District in 1960. Currently, the school is used as a community center and serves as a

polling place A polling place is where voters cast their ballots in elections. The phrase polling station is also used in American English and British English, although polling place is the building

during elections. The Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools has included Wrede in their preservation efforts. Wrede school was added to the

on June 1, 2005.

References

External links

Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wrede School Defunct schools in Gillespie County, Texas German-American culture in Texas National Register of Historic Places in Gillespie County, Texas School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas School buildings completed in 1896

Community background

School

See also

References

External links