In the 1860’s, John Chism built a very large log house, facing west, with a big rock chimney at one end, which was used as a store for supplying his own camps, but also sold to travelers and settlers.  It was located on the Mukewater, 4 miles north of the wagon road from Round Rock.  In the early 1870’s, L. L. Shield bought this store, but found that it would be better located where the wagon road crossed the Mukewater.  Around this new store location grew the village of Trickham.  Rather than move the old store, he instead built a new one at the new location.

As settlers moved into the Mukewater valley, there was no school, so the men took the matter in hand, and in the winter of 1875, built a little one room school with chimney, single window and door.  This was the first Mukewater school.  The first teacher was Dave McAlester, who had taught in nearby schools for several years and owned land across the Colorado in McCulloch County.

More and more settlers came to the valley, and after 2 years, there were too many children for the space and one teacher.  Someone thought of the old Chism store, which had stood empty since the stock of goods had been moved south to the crossing.  W. S. Baxter bought the store building from a Mr. Ernest.  The Baxter children were students, as well as some of the Davis family.  Dave McAlester went elsewhere to teach, and a man named Wilmouth and his daughter, Clara, were employed for the school.  As there was no house available for them, two tents were erected in the yard of the school, in which Wilmouth, his young wife, two small children and Clara lived.  C. S. W. Smith was the teacher there in 1877.  The school also served as a community center for singings on Sunday, occasional preaching services and sometimes a party.

The third Mukewater school was built a mile and a half west and slightly south, on a hill, from the second school, located in the Vollentine Pasture, just north of the Dockery line.  A large pile of rocks on both sides of the fence enabled the children to cross.  No public roads came to the school.  This little school was also called “Pole Cat Ridge,” thought to have been named by George Ford.  Mrs. Josie Vollentine Baxter and Lea Miller Dockery were early teachers at this one room school.  Ben Hardin organized a Sunday school in this school in 1880.  The families having children at this school were: McCormick, Flores, Pike, Miller, Clark, Ford, Bowden, McWhorter, Haynes, Baugh, Davis, Dockery, Lawrence, Wagner, Mullis, Rice, Shelton, See, Shields, Witten, Thornton, Page, Richardson, Himmons, Ryan, and Kingston.  Other teachers at this school were Mabel Lowe, Mary Sullivan, Ethel Limroth, Lena Boyd, Mina Clark, Vivian Fry, Pearl Lucas, Maggie Lively, Mr. Dupree, and Mrs. McCamy.

The last Mukewater School was built in the early 1900’s, this time being located on the Tucker place on the road where it crossed the Trickham and Santa Anna road.  It was sometimes called “Cross Roads,” and was nicknamed “Bug Tussle.”  Students attending this school
were: Bowden, Grant, Williams, Wagner, Cupps, Haynes, Rice, Caldwell, Miller, Lowery, Holland, See, Sullivan, Barfield, Sharp, Huddler, Genz, Burney, Fussel, Jennings, Dockery, Tucker, Hull, Newman, King, Hibbitts, Day, Battles, England, Clark, Zennor, Caloway, Bowers, Lovelace, Talley, Martin, Geer, James, Dean, Trinidad, Crow, Hodges, Watson, Flemings, Herring, Henderson, Jones, Ellis, McMinn, Hartman, Densman, Broadway, Shirley, Allison, and Fowler.  Teachers here were: Maggie Lively, Etwell Thomas, Irene Mclver, Viola Page, Zetha Lindley, Yetive Martin, Xuma Myers, Howell Martin, Glenda Ford, Savanna Perry, Ruby Thomas, Erma Herring, Marguerete Persons, Ora Martin, Mrs. Jess Allison, Elizabeth Wiley, Gertrude Martin, Winnie Cathy McQueen, Lucille Lancaster, Cordie York, Minnie Wilson, Ruth Mclver, and Dorothy Harris.

Several years of church and Sunday school were held at this school.  For several years, there were two teachers.  Beginning in the late 1930’s, it was taught only through the 6th grade, with the upper grades riding a bus to Santa Anna.  Mrs. Ruth Mclver was the last teacher in 1952, and it consolidated with Santa Anna in 1954.  The building was sold and moved away a few years later.