Getting spring fever? Come visit the Rheingold and Cave Creek Schools at an open house plan for Saturday, February 11, from 11am to 4pm. It’s just in time for a weekend Valentine trip to Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country.

Rheingold is located at 334 Rheingold School Road-North Grape Creek Road and Cave Creek at 470 Cave Creek Road, both turn off the Ranch Road 1631 from Fredericksburg. See the site of the old cistern where the children got their drinking water. Schoolrooms with the old black boards used for the daily lessons. You may even see a Valentine box on a table. There may even be a fire in the wood stove to take the February chill out of the air. Docents will greet you with stories of the past and present use of the Historic Schools. Also, barbecue pits are still visible that were used to prepare the meat at school closings, now used for reunions and parties. See the new improvements that have been made on the grounds, such as new restrooms and a kitchen at Cave Creek. Of special interest at the Rheingold school is the log cabin school that later became the teacherage. Refreshments will be available.

Cave Creek and Rheingold are just two of the 16 historic country schools comprising the Gillespie County Country Schools Trail. Go to the website historicschools.org to get more information and a printable map or stop by the Fredericksburg Visitor Bureau for a map brochure at 302 East Austin Street. Both schools are a designated National Historical Register sites.

Save the date: Saturday February 11, 2012 – Rheingold and Cave Creek Schools Open House.