Eanes History

• The first Eanes School was formed in 1872? The original schoolhouse, built by Robert Eanes was a small, one-room log cabin. Its students (probably no more than twenty at the time) wrote with limestone "chalk" --and they sat on benches made from split logs. Two years later, in 1874, William and Sophia Teague donated 2 acres to the community as a permanent location for a schoolhouse.  That 2 acres is at the heart of the Eanes Elementary campus today!  One teacher, one room wooden frame buildings were used for 65 years.
• The cemetery on our campus (directly across the parking lot from the lower drop-off area) has approximately thirty graves?
• Today's art building was built in 1928 as a chapel? The chapel was a community-wide project. All of the townspeople carried stone in their wagons to the site and many lent a hand in the construction. The Austin Fire Department donated a 75-pound bell to call worshipers to church on Sunday and summon children to school during the week. In 1956, EISD purchased the chapel, added windows and partitioned the space to use as classrooms. (The bell followed Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church to its current location.)
• That the first Eanes PTA was formed in 1934? Activities included the establishment of a daily hot lunch program (cornbread and beans), the digging of a water well - and an annual bingo night!
• The current music building dates back to 1937? The "rock schoolhouse" replaced a dilapidated frame house built forty years earlier. It had two large classrooms, one with a small stage. First through Third Graders were taught in one room; Fourth through Sixth Graders in the other. The building also had indoor bathrooms with hot and cold running water. The hot water proved to be particularly useful: teachers rigged up shower stalls, with curtains made out of sheets and brought soap and towels to school so that the school children could get clean before school. (Many children had never had a hot bath!)
• The school children of the 30's and 40's loved to visit Beard's Store after school? The little store, at the corner of Bee Cave Road and the dirt lane that would become Westlake Drive, sold hamburgers, homemade tamales, beer and soda. Its kindly owner, "Pop" Beard, doled out free candy to all of the kids when they stopped by. Along with the Eanes School and Chapel, Beard's Store was a social center of the community.
• The large cement letters at the front of the school have been there since the 50's? They were created and placed there by schoolboard member, Fred Bulian. The Bulian family operated a prosperous dairy farm in the Eanes area for many years. (Their 175 acre property was located on what is now the Randall's shopping center, Las Lomas and the Westwood Terrace neighborhood.)
• Throughout the 40's, 50's and 60's, the middle school and high school age students were bused to AISD's middle schools and to Austin High School? The first "school bus" was actually "a pick-up truck with a canvas top stretched over the back." (Westlake High School was completed in 1970: Hill Country Middle School, in 1975)
• Our campus is home to the Eanes History Center? Back in the 80's, the EISD was ready to tear down the old rock schoolhouse. Fortunately, a group of forward thinking volunteers jumped in to save the historic structures and community landmarks and Eanes History Center was born. Many photographs and artifacts are displayed in the Yellow House Museum on Camp Craft Road.  In 2000, Eanes History Center volunteers dismantled, moved and re-assembled the Eanes-Marshall Ranch House on the lower end of the Eanes Elementary campus. This restored structure also has many artifacts that represent daily life for many of the earliest European settlers in this area. Currently, all EISD 2nd graders visit the Center as part of their Texas History curriculum.

The History Center has amazing potential but it needs volunteers and donations to become an incredible learning laboratory for our kids. If you can help, please contact Ellen Balthazar at ellenbalthazar@eanesisd.net.