Luckenbach School

On July 22, 1855, two acres of land along Grape Creek was purchased from Peter Pehl for $4. After the land was acquired, the men in the community gathered to build a 16′ by 15′ log cabin schoolhouse. Due to an increase in the student population by 1881, the building had become too small to accommodate all the children so a 10′ addition of native limestone was built. The Luckenbach School was designated as District #3. Families who settled in the community paid one dollar per year for their children to attend school. Many of these families are still represented in the area today.

During the 1860’s, a one-room stone teacherage was built. The floors were made of 16 inch wide planks from Indianola and the rafters were hand-hewn. Another room was added later to join the teacher’s house to the school. In 1905, a new 25′ x 34′ schoolhouse was built of native limestone from the Pehl property, some of them measuring 22 inches by 54 inches. An old-fashioned school bell summoned the children to class with the boys lining up on the left and the girls on the right. Older students would help the younger ones with grammar and math. Some of the creative games played during recess were andy-over, stink base, dodge ball, drop the hankie, and kick the can.

In 1949, due to the passage of the Gilmer-Aiken Law, which limited the number of students per teacher, Luckenbach became a two-teacher school with grades one through eight. During that year, another room, measuring 18′ x 24′ and constructed of hollow tile, was added to the school building.

In 1964, the Luckenbach School District was consolidated with the Fredericksburg School District. The Luckenbach Community Club was organized and currently hosts bi-monthly pinochle parties, picnics, and family reunions. The building is also a site for precinct voting for state and federal elections. In 1982, a Texas Historical Commission marker was dedicated.