German natives who settled originally in Colorado County came here in 1879 looking for better land. Pleased with the soil and location they brought their families and immediately purchased 100 acres for a church and school.  The earliest mass was said  in 1882 in the home of the first settler, Theodore Rabroker.  The original church building, completed in February 1884, was destroyed the following May be a terrible storm.  The congregation rebuilt the structure by July.  Large numbers of German American Catholic families moved into the area.  Westphalia was named after the province from which the early settlers came.  Visiting priests served until 1893 when the Rev. Michael Heintzelmann was assigned as the permanent pastor.  He led the congregation for the next 36 years.  In 1895,  with A. Fuchs of Waco as the designer and contractor, the present church house was completed. The stones were shipped by railroad from Muldoon, Texas to Lott (8 mi ne) and then hauled here by wagon.  The central church area forms a latin cross.  For safety in storms 6 inches of sway was built into the bell towers.  The original design stained glass windows are very rare and priceless.  This is one of the largest wooden church buildings in the state. (1978)

Plans for the establishment of a school to serve the German Catholic community of Westphalia began soon after the earliest settlers arrived here in 1879.  Under the direction of the first trustees, Anton Jansing, Joseph Hoelscher, and Stanislaus Rollewitz, the school was set up to provide parochial and public instruction.  The Westphalia Little School opened in 1884.  Early teachers were J. H. Pels, Professor A. Kechoff, Brother Stefan Geiser, CPPS, George Laloumoudiere, G. Horst Daniel, Joseph Henke and Tim Sullivan.  The building was originally constructed as the Church of Visitation, after being heavily damaged by storms, it was remodeled in 1893 for use as the community schoolhouse.  In 1899 the Sisters of Divine Providence from Out Lady of the Lake Convent in San Antonio began teaching in the school.  Although the parochial program ended in 1935, the Sisters have continued to serve in the public school.
Since 1884, Westphalia Little School has continued to offer area residents a quality educational program based on a cooperative effort between public and parochial instruction.