Edwards County is located on the Edwards Plateau in Southwest Texas, approximately 100 miles west of San Antonio. It is 2,100 square miles of rugged limestone country, with rocky soils, rolling hills, caves, few springs or water sources, and wide-open ranchland.

Long before the county was formally established, the region was home to Lipan Apache people. Spain established the Mission San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz in the area in 1762, although permanent settlement remained limited until the nineteenth century.

Edwards County was formed from Bexar County in 1858 and named for Hayden Edwards, an early American settler in Texas. The county was officially organized in 1883. Its first county seat was Bullhead, later called Vance, before Rock Springs (now written as Rocksprings) became the county seat in 1891. The county reached its present boundaries after Real County was formed from its eastern portion in 1913.

The land was better suited to livestock than large-scale farming, and ranching quickly became central to the county’s identity. Sheep, cattle, and Angora goats supported generations of Edwards County families. By 1940, wool and mohair production had reached such prominence that Rocksprings became known as the “Top-o-the-World” in mohair production.

That ranching heritage remains an important part of local life. It can be seen in the working ranches surrounding the community, the annual celebrations of local traditions, and the Angora goat proudly representing Rocksprings students and athletes.

Rocksprings was established in 1891 when J. R. Sweeten selected a townsite near Hackberry Creek. The community received its name from the natural springs that emerged among the rocks. That same year, Rocksprings received a post office and became the Edwards County seat.

The young town grew quickly. By 1892, Rocksprings had approximately 250 residents as well as a hotel, general store, blacksmith, doctor, druggist, attorneys, real estate agent, and other businesses. The town’s name was originally written as two words as Rock Springs, but later became Rocksprings.

Rocksprings developed as the governmental, educational, and commercial center of the county. Its economy was closely tied to ranching and the wool and mohair industries. In 1925, the National Association of Angora Breeders moved its headquarters to Rocksprings in recognition of the importance of Texas ranchers and the Edwards Plateau to the nation’s mohair industry.

One of the most defining moments in Rocksprings history occurred on April 12, 1927, when a devastating tornado struck the community. More than 90 percent of the town’s buildings were destroyed, and many lives were lost.

Although the destruction was overwhelming, the people of Rocksprings rebuilt their homes, businesses, school, and community. The recovery became a lasting example of the determination and neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit that continue to define Rocksprings today.

Education became part of the community almost immediately.

The first recorded school session in Rocksprings was held during the winter of 1891–1892, only months after the town was established. Classes met in a frame house surrounded by a strong rock wall. The site is now recognized by a Texas historical marker as the location of Rocksprings’ first school building.

From those first classes in a small frame structure, public education in Rocksprings grew alongside the community. School buildings, programs, and opportunities changed through the decades, but the school remained a central gathering place for children and families across a large and sparsely populated county.

Generations of students have learned, competed, performed, celebrated, and formed lifelong relationships within Rocksprings schools. The district’s history lives not only in buildings and official records, but also in class photographs, yearbooks, athletic traditions, school programs, family stories, and the memories of former students and employees.

An important chapter in the district’s history occurred on April 30, 1985, when Carta Valley Independent School District was annexed into Rocksprings ISD. This brought the educational histories of two rural Edwards County communities together within one district. The district primarily serves Edwards County, but a small portion of its boundaries extends into Val Verde County.

As a small rural PreK-12 district, Rocksprings ISD has always depended upon close relationships among students, families, educators, and the community. Teachers often educate multiple generations of the same families. Students are known by name, and community members regularly support academic programs, agricultural education, athletics, the arts, and student activities.

The district has continued to grow in the opportunities it provides while preserving the close-knit environment that makes a small school special. Rocksprings ISD remains committed to preparing students for college, careers, military service, family life, leadership, and meaningful participation in their communities.

The Angora is more than a school mascot. It represents the ranching history that helped establish Rocksprings and sustain Edwards County.

Angora goats were especially well suited to the brush-covered landscape of the Edwards Plateau. By the early twentieth century, wool and mohair had become defining industries of the region, and Rocksprings was nationally recognized as a center of Angora goat production.

Today, the Angora name connects Rocksprings students to the land, families, and traditions that shaped their community. Whether competing as the Angoras or Lady Angoras, students carry forward a name rooted in local history.

Rocksprings ISD’s history is a story of perseverance.

It began with students gathering in a frame house in 1891. It continued through the growth of a ranching community, the rebuilding of Rocksprings following the 1927 tornado, the consolidation of rural schools, and decades of educational and community change.

The buildings may look different, and the tools used for learning continue to evolve, but the district’s purpose remains the same: to educate, encourage, and prepare the children of this community.

Rocksprings ISD is proud of where we came from, proud of the generations who built and supported our schools, and proud to carry that legacy into the future.

One Team: Every One, Every Way, Every Day!