Hopewell School, Cedar Creek, Texas
historic place
The Hopewell School in Cedar Creek, Bastrop County, Texas, was completed in 1921. It was built on land that belonged to Martin and Sophia McDonald, who had been enslaved as children. In 1919, one and a half acres and a monetary grant from the McDonald estate were dedicated for a church and a school for the Hopewell community. The school's construction was funded through public money, contributions from the African American community, and a grant from the Rosenwald Fund. Artelia McDonald Brown, the daughter of Martin and Sophia, served as the school's first teacher. Hopewell School initially operated as an elementary school, later expanding to include one-year and then two-year high school programs. The school continued to serve the community until the late 1950s, when public school integration led to the obsolescence of Rosenwald schools. The Hopewell School was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. A historical marker was erected in 2022, recognizing the school's role in African American education and community life.