Polly's Schoolhouse Open House

We invite you to step into the heart of Polly, Texas, a historic settlement nestled in the beautiful southeast of Bandera County. Our mission is clear: We are dedicated to preserving the rich history and heritage of this unique Tejano town so that its legacy lives on for generations to come.

Over the years, with your unwavering support, we've reached remarkable milestones, from restoring cherished landmarks to organizing community-driven initiatives. Today, we're thrilled to share our recent progress on the historic Polly's Schoolhouse.

Polly’s Schoolhouse

Our board has been hard at work, fundraising and making improvements to the schoolhouse. We've just completed a significant phase in its interior restoration. This phase involved breathing new life into the doors and windows, walls, ceilings, and floors. Once fully restored, Polly's Schoolhouse will transform into a vibrant community center, a micro museum, and an invaluable learning hub for our children. Furthermore, we're taking steps to register Polly's Schoolhouse as an official Texas State Historical landmark.

We'd like to invite you to our association Open House at Polly's Schoolhouse on October 28, 2023. This event marks the beginning of the next phase, which will focus on landscaping, the gate, and the fence. Join us from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM for a delightful morning filled with refreshments, guided tours, and, most importantly, a chance to immerse yourself in the unique history that defines our community. Best of all, this event is open to everyone and is completely free. Your presence and support are essential to preserving our precious heritage. Together, we can ensure that the tales of Polly, Texas, continue to inspire and educate future generations.

2019 Polly’s Schoolhouse Open House

For more details and directions to Polly's Schoolhouse, please visit our website at pollytexaspioneerassociation.org or reach out to us at (210) 892-0135.

Your continued support means the world to us, and we eagerly look forward to celebrating with you on October 28th. Together, let's make history!

2023 Hill Country Homecoming

Dear Family and Friends of Polly,

Greetings from the Polly Texas Pioneer Association (PTPA), and Happy 2023!

We are pleased to announce the return of our “Hill Country Homecoming” event, on the historic grounds of Polly’s Chapel, 359 Polly's Chapel Rd, Bandera, TX 78003, on Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 10 am to 2 pm.

For over ten years, the Hill Country Homecoming has been our signature event, an opportunity for family and friends to gather and rekindle the memories of Polly Rodriguez and our Texas ancestors. This year will be extra special since it will take place after a three-year hiatus. We return with a renewed spirit to celebrate our ancestors’ daily lives and milestones.

Our event will begin with benediction and a brief PTPA report highlighting our goals and latest projects as well as include an artifact exhibit, auction of heritage items, bar-be-que lunch and tours of the chapel, school and cemetery.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in celebrating our Tejano history.

Of course, your participation is key to our event success! We hope you will consider joining us for this celebration of Tejano legacy. This event will help the PTPA ensure Polly’s memory and legacy lives on for years to come.

Please save the date: Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 10 am to 2 pm.

To sponsor this event, please click here to download the sponsorship form.

To donate an auction item, please click here.

To volunteer for this event, please click here.

Have questions? Please contact board member, Vivian Cantu at 210-892-0135.

Viva Tejas!

Rudi R. Rodriguez
Vice-Chairman
Polly Texas Pioneer Association

2021 Polly's Schoolhouse Open House

Polly’s School House “Open House” will be on October 23, 2021, from 9 am to noon. We will be conducting tours of the school and the grounds. Come and visit, see the improvements and have a cup of coffee and a pastry with us! Help preserve Texas Tejano heritage. We thank everyone who has continued to support us and contributed to help us sustain the chapel, school and Polly’s legacy! For more info, contact us at (210) 892-0136.

Hill Country Holiday Cancelation Notice

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Each year, we hold an annual “Hill Country Holiday” event at Polly’s Chapel to thank the community for their gracious support. This year, out of concern for the health and safety of the community, this event has been canceled. Please know that we greatly appreciate your support and continued contributions during these difficult time. We hope to see you next year at our annual fundraiser! If you have any questions, please contact us at (210) 982-0135.

Annual Homecoming event

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As you all know, our annual Homecoming was canceled, yet some of our community sponsors still provided us with funding. This has been very important as some of our operating expenses continue. We look forward to our scheduled “Hill Country Holiday” event tentatively scheduled for November 14, 2020 and seeing all of our family, friends, and supporters.

Polly's Schoolhouse Update

Polly’s Schoolhouse, Photo© Texas Tejano.com

Polly’s Schoolhouse, Photo© Texas Tejano.com

Also, the scheduled clean-up Day for the Polly’s School House was canceled due to ‘COVID 19”. Once again, once the mandates are lifted, we announce a new date. Plus, we have a scheduled “Open-House” on September 12, we hope you will attend.

In June, we will kick-off a ‘Door and Window’ Sponsorship Campaign for these items in the school. There has already been a keen interest in this effort as sponsorship will allow your name or ancestor to be single-out on a plaque located on the doors and windows. Contact us for more information.

Polly Cemetery Clean-up Day

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Unfortunately, the scheduled Clean-up Day in April for the cemetery was canceled due to the “COVID19” mandates. Once the mandates are lifted, we will schedule a new date. However, the first cleaning and maintenance earlier this year has made a very positive appearance on the site.

Also, we have let a contract to install in-ground corners on the new designated burial blocks and plots to more easily determine locations.

Texas Historical Commission Designation for “Polly’s Cemetery”

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This year, Polly Texas Pioneers Association, asked Texas Tejano.com to prepare an official “Historic Cemetery Designation” application for the Texas Historical Commission. This application is required to be submitted to review the required information and historical documents to consider the designation of “Historical Cemetery” for “Polly’s Cemetery”.

The requested information is extensive and requires scholarly research with appropriate written material with footnotes. Additionally, historical documents such as surveys, recorded deeds, photos, and a requested cemetery census if available. Unfortunately, the resulting challenge has been that there were never official records kept by any prior trustees or family members of individuals buried or the location of internment.

The exception to this was a 1985 “Tomb-Stone”(only) record conducted by the “Los Bexareños Genealogical Society” of San Antonio. For those of you interested, this record does not supply the location of interment nor burials beyond that year. Later this year, we will attempt to provide this list on our website.

For the record, the Polly Texas Pioneer Association has only been in existence for the past five years and is not responsible for records that were never kept. However, recently we asked a surveyor to plot new cemetery lots toward the front of the cemetery and we have already begun a cemetery registration journal for the future. Individuals requesting internment can supply a minimum of information to be recorded in the journal. Lastly, we have submitted our request for designation and upon receiving the designation we will pursue a request for a historical medallion and erect a plinth to place it on.

Polly's Schoolhouse Open House

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Polly’s School House “Open House” will be on October 5, 2019, from 9 am to noon. We will be conducting tours of the school and the grounds. Come and visit, see the improvements and have a cup of coffee and a pastry with us! Ask for one of our new schoolhouse buttons or pins. We thank everyone who has continued to support us and contributed to help us sustain the chapel, school and Polly’s legacy!

Polly's Chapel Updates


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We are happy to tell you that the long-awaited improvements on the men’s and women’s rooms are finally completed. New floors, walls, paint, wainscoting, and doors have been installed. We believe that they turned out great!

Also, annual pruning of trees was done in and around the chapel. This will lead to the measurements in the rear of the chapel to begin planning and constructing the new “Prayer Garden” featuring the fountain given to us by the City of Bandera.

Lastly, Winters Electric from Bandera was able to update and install a new electric entry at the chapel which also provides power at the pavilion. Also, all of our interior electric switches, plugs, and fans were maintenanced. We thank everyone who has continued to support us and contributed to help us sustain the chapel, school and Polly’s legacy!

Polly's Chapel Clean up day

On April 27, 2019, we’ll be meeting at Polly’s Chapel at 8 am for a clean up day. We’re asking as many volunteers as possible to come help clean in and around this beautiful Texas Historical Landmark.