Crabapple, Texas
Encyclopedia
Crabapple, Texas is an unincorporated
farming and ranch
ing community 10.5 miles (16.9 km) north of Fredericksburg
in Gillespie County, Texas
located on Crabapple Creek, about halfway between Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock State Park at an elevation of 1,775 feet.
The school was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
number 10022 in 1994. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas
on May 6, 2005, NRHP Reference #:05000390.
immigrants Friedrich Welgehausen, Jacob Land, Adam Pehl, Mathias Schmidt, Nicolaus Rusche, James Riley, Heinrich Kneese, and Jacob and Adam Fries
in the mid 19th Century.
On December 15, 1847, a petition was submitted to create Gillespie County. In 1848, the legislature formed Gillespie County from Bexar
and Travis
counties.While the signers were overwhelmingly German immigrants, names also on the petition were Castillo, Pena, Munos, and a handful of non-German Anglo names.
structure with their own labor. The 1878 school had a single classroom, with an adjoining room for the teacher living quarters. An outer staircase led to a second story storage space. An additional room was added later.
The original schoolhouse also served as a post office from 1887-1910. The first postmaster
was John J. Stein. There were a total of nine postmasters before the mail was routed to Willow City
in 1910.
A second limestone school was built in 1882 that also served as a Lutheran church, until the St. John's congregation erected its own building in 1887.
Twenty-eight teachers taught at Crabapple School before it consolidated with Fredericksburg Independent School District
in 1994.
was a famous local landmark that perched atop Bear Mountain in the Crabapple Community. The natural stone pillar, about the size of a small elephant, precariously balanced on its small tip. It fell prey to vandals who dynamited it off its base in April 1986.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
farming and ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ing community 10.5 miles (16.9 km) north of Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
in Gillespie County, Texas
Gillespie County, Texas
Gillespie County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 24,837. It is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Gillespie is named for Robert Addison Gillespie, who came to Texas in 1837. He was a Texas Ranger, an Indian fighter, a...
located on Crabapple Creek, about halfway between Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock State Park at an elevation of 1,775 feet.
The school was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
number 10022 in 1994. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas
National Register of Historic Places listings in Texas
The following is a list of historic properties and districts in the state of Texas that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. There are properties and/or districts listed in most of Texas's 254 counties....
on May 6, 2005, NRHP Reference #:05000390.
Settlers and community
The initial European settlers in Crabapple were GermanGerman Texan
German Texan is an ethnic category that includes residents of the state of Texas with German ancestry who identify with the term. This identification may include cultural agreements—German language, German cuisine, feasts, music, hard work, frugality, and close family ties. From their first...
immigrants Friedrich Welgehausen, Jacob Land, Adam Pehl, Mathias Schmidt, Nicolaus Rusche, James Riley, Heinrich Kneese, and Jacob and Adam Fries
in the mid 19th Century.
On December 15, 1847, a petition was submitted to create Gillespie County. In 1848, the legislature formed Gillespie County from Bexar
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
and Travis
Travis County, Texas
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...
counties.While the signers were overwhelmingly German immigrants, names also on the petition were Castillo, Pena, Munos, and a handful of non-German Anglo names.
Crabapple School and post office
Farmer Mathias Schmidt donated the land for a Crabapple school, earning the privilege by running a footrace with neighbor Crockett Riley who had also offered to donate land. Area families built the native limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
structure with their own labor. The 1878 school had a single classroom, with an adjoining room for the teacher living quarters. An outer staircase led to a second story storage space. An additional room was added later.
The original schoolhouse also served as a post office from 1887-1910. The first postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
was John J. Stein. There were a total of nine postmasters before the mail was routed to Willow City
Willow City, Texas
Willow City is an unincorporated community in Gillespie County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 75 in 2000. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas on May 6, 2005, NRHP Reference...
in 1910.
A second limestone school was built in 1882 that also served as a Lutheran church, until the St. John's congregation erected its own building in 1887.
Twenty-eight teachers taught at Crabapple School before it consolidated with Fredericksburg Independent School District
Fredericksburg Independent School District
Fredericksburg Independent School District is a public school district based in Fredericksburg, Texas .In addition to Fredericksburg, the district serves the unincorporated communities of Stonewall, Luckenbach, Willow City, and Albert...
in 1994.
Balanced Rock
Balanced Rockwas a famous local landmark that perched atop Bear Mountain in the Crabapple Community. The natural stone pillar, about the size of a small elephant, precariously balanced on its small tip. It fell prey to vandals who dynamited it off its base in April 1986.
See also
- Cherry SpringCherry Spring, TexasCherry Spring is an unincorporated farming and ranching community established in 1852 in Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located on Cherry Spring Creek, which runs from north of Fredericksburg to Llano. The creek was also sometimes known as Cherry Springs Creek by residents...
- Cherry Springs Dance HallCherry Springs Dance HallCherry Springs Dance Hall, is one of the oldest and most historic dance halls in Texas. It is located at 17662 North U.S. Highway 87, Cherry Springs, TX 78624. miles NW of Fredericksburg, Texas in Gillespie County's portion of the Texas Hill Country is the Texas farming community of Cherry Spring...
- DossDoss, TexasDoss is an unincorporated farming and ranching community at the crossroads juncture of FM 783 and FM 648 in northwestern Gillespie County, Texas, United States. It is 19 miles NW of Fredericksburg and 14 miles NW of Harper. Postal zip code is 78618. Elevation is 1729 feet.*The U.S...
- Enchanted RockEnchanted RockEnchanted Rock is an enormous pink granite pluton rock formation located in the Llano Uplift approximately north of Fredericksburg, Texas, USA and south of Llano, Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans the border between Gillespie...
- FredericksburgFredericksburg, TexasFredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
- Loyal ValleyLoyal Valley, TexasLoyal Valley is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1858, and is north of Cherry Spring in the southeastern corner of Mason County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located near Cold Spring Creek, which runs east for to its mouth on Marschall Creek in...
- SisterdaleSisterdale, TexasSisterdale, Texas, is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1847 and located north of Boerne in Kendall County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located in the valley of Sister Creek. The current 2010 population is 25...
- Texas Hill CountryTexas Hill CountryThe Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
- Willow CityWillow City, TexasWillow City is an unincorporated community in Gillespie County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 75 in 2000. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas on May 6, 2005, NRHP Reference...