Springtime in the Hill Country brings an abundance of wild flowers blooming along the Gillespie County Country School Trail. Cherry Mountain and Crabapple School will be open May 12, 2012; they along with the St John Lutheran Church at Crabapple. Docents will be available to share the rich history of these buildings and grounds. Cherry Mountain will open their log cabin school (1883) along with present school built in 1926, located at 2866 Cherry Mountain Loop. Crabapple started their first school in 1878. A combination school/teacherage was built. As the number of students grew a larger school was built in 1882, which also served as the Lutheran church until the congregation built their own church next door in 1897. Crabapple School is located at 14671 Lower Crabapple Road and St John Lutheran is at 14689 Lower Crabapple Road. Historical markers were placed at these buildings to witness the works of parents, grandparents and great grandparents. The schools are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The schools and church will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools invite you to see and hear about improvement that have been made and are in progress. Both schools are located on bicycle routes and serve as rest stops. The Friends mission is “Preserving the Past to Enhance the Future.”

Refreshments will be available.

Call 830-997-5116 for more information or go to historicschools.org. Driving maps are available at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center 302 E Austin St. Accommodations and more information available at www.VisitFredericksburgTx.com.