National Register Listing

Morris Ranch Schoolhouse

Morris Ranch Rd., Fredericksburg, TX

The Morris Ranch Schoolhouse is very unusual both architecturally and historically among surviving late Victorian country schools in Texas. To begin with, most were modest, utilitarian structures often of frame construction, while the Morris Ranch building has considerable architectural pretension. Furthermore, its architect, Alfred Giles (1853-1920) of San Antonio, was one of the most prominent Texas architects of the era 1875-1925. Giles was responsible for a number of structures in the Fredericksburg area, including the William Bierschwale residence (1888) and the Old Gillespie County Courthouse (1882), the latter of which is listed on the National Register. His many distinctive masonry buildings in San Antonio and the Hill Country are highly prized. Finally, the Morris Ranch itself has an unusual history and, like the schoolhouse, defies the usual stereotypes of late 19th-century Texas as an uncivilized frontier.

The Morris Ranch Schoolhouse is a fine example of the quality of stonework produced by German craftsmen in the Fredericksburg area in the 19th century. Stylistically, however, the structure clearly reflects the mainstream of American architecture in the 1880s and 1890s, in its use of Romanesque Revival detailing. The distinguished appearance of this building, with its heavy stone walls, stands in distinct contrast to the characteristic frame schoolhouses of late 19th-century Texas. The pretensions of the structure indicate a considerable expenditure of funds on the part of the Morris family and a strong interest in the education of the children of the ranch staff.

Alfred Giles, the architect for the schoolhouse, was very prominent in Central Texas, especially in San Antonio. Giles, an Englishman by birth, immigrated to the United States and settled in San Antonio in 1873. Giles' practice flourished, and he was responsible for the design of such notable San Antonio residences as those for Edward Steves and Carl Groos. Giles also received several commissions for the design of county courthouses, including the extant courthouses for Wilson, Kendall and Webb counties. Giles' finest surviving courthouse, that for Gillespie County, is located in Fredericksburg, approximately 13 miles northeast of the Morris Ranch.
While it was part of the Morris Ranch, the school property belonged to Morris Ranch Consolidated Common School District No. 40 until 1962, when the school was annexed into the Fredericksburg Independent School District. Education was very important to the Morris family and to their ranching families as well. The Morris family opened their personal library to the children attending the school, and the school building also served other purposes. Church services were held each Sunday, and various pastors officiated. The building was the home of educational, religious, cultural and community activities until 1975. The property from which the Morris Ranch was later partitioned was part of a 23,040-acre land scrip issued by Sam Houston to William Bryan in 1836. The title to the property was later transferred to J.R. and R. Leavitt, partners in a New York mercantile firm. When the Leavitt firm went bankrupt, Francis Morris of New York and Maryland purchased the land for 24¢ an acre on February 18, 1856. In 1859 Morris sold off 6,400 acres to Peter Hayden. The remaining 16,640 acres remained in the Morris family until 1921.

Perhaps the most interesting chapter in the history of the ranch began in the late 1880s when John A. Morris began to devote his energies to the establishment of one of the country's finest thoroughbred horse farms. Adjacent to the ranch house, Morris built a two-story hotel to accommodate guests, which was destroyed by a tornado in the 1950s. The training area contained the most impressive group of buildings, including two 400 ft.-long training barns, living quarters for the jockeys, and a race track complete with a judges' stand. Unfortunately, apparently, none of these structures has survived, with the huge barns being broken up for building lumber during World War II. From the late 1880s to 1902, the ranch functioned as a breeding and training ground for some of America's best-thoroughbred race horses. The top foals from the 200 mares kept on the ranch were sent to Morris stables in the eastern U.S. and England. Max Hirsch, who began his career as a jockey on the ranch, later became famous as a horse trainer, and three of his horses went on to win the Kentucky Derby.

The antiracing laws of the late 1890s destroyed the racehorse market, and the Morris family quit the business of breeding thoroughbred horses. The ranch was then used for farming and ranching activities, producing cotton and grain until World War II. The ranch was placed on the market in 1920 when the Morris family decided they could get a greater return from their capital in New York investments. The first sale took place in 1921, and until 1931 the last 9,034 acres were managed by a member of the Morris family. At that time the school was deeded to the county and the remaining property was sold to a corporation of Fredericksburg men called "the Morris Ranch Land Company." The land was partitioned among the stockholders of the company. Today the original Morris Ranch property, including the schoolhouse, is divided among many private owners.

It should be noted that the 9.05-acre site surrounding the schoolhouse has been a separate parcel since 1931, and the structure has stood on this smaller acreage for much of its existence. With the partition of the original ranch, virtually all of the extensive improvements originally made for horse breeding and training have been destroyed, leaving the schoolhouse as the main, tangible reminder of the ranch's history.

Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1983.