The Sierra City School, also known as the The Old Schoolhouse, is located at 418 Main Street (California State Route 49) in Sierra City, California, a former Gold Rush mining town. The historic wood-frame building, originally constructed in 1883, reflects the region's early efforts to establish an educational system during the mining boom of the late 19th century. On January 9, 2024, the Sierra City School was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sierra City School | |
 Sierra City School in 2024 | |
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| Location | 418 Main Street, Sierra City, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°34′02″N 120°37′49″W / 39.56722°N 120.63028°W |
| Area | 0.75 acres (0.30 ha) |
| Built | 1883 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular architecture |
| NRHP reference No. | 100009718[1] |
| Added to NRHP | January 9, 2024 |
History
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In 1863, a private school was established in a room beneath the Masonic Hall in Sierra City. By 1869, it began receiving state funding and became a public school. Enrollment grew to 62 students by 1882. The Sierra City School was constructed in 1883, with a Primary Room added in 1888. The schoolhouse remained in use until January 1952, when an avalanche damaged the front of the building, causing the students to eventually attend school in Downieville, California. The Butt family purchased the property in 2022. The former classroom has since been converted into living quarters, now featuring a dining room, three bedrooms, and a bathroom.[2][3][4][5]
In July 2024, local newspapers reported that the Sierra County Historical Society had agreed to return the original 700-pound bell, removed in 1972, to the schoolhouse on the condition that the belfry be reconstructed. On July 29, 2024, the bell and belfry were successfully placed atop the Sierra City School.[6][7]
Design
editThe Sierra City School began as a one-room, wood-frame schoolhouse built in 1883, measuring 2,640 square feet (245 m2), with a narrow gable end front wall facing north towards Main Street (California State Route 49). Built in the Vernacular architecture-style, the schoolhouse features painted wood sidings, rests on a concrete foundation, and is topped with a corrugated metal roof and a flagpole. Originally, the building had separate entrances for boys and girls. It also included double-hung wood windows, entry doors, and a large sliding wood barn-type door with a circular vent at the front. In 1887, a 30 ft (9.1 m) -by-36 ft (11 m) addition was built, including a Primary Room at the south end of the school. In 1896, a bell and belfry were added to the structure. By 1917, a porch was constructed around the schoolhouse, further enhancing its design.[2]
Historical significance
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The Sierra City School holds historical significance for its connection to the development of early educational facilities in Sierra County during the late 19th-century mining boom. Constructed with public funds in response to the area's growth, the building is an excellent example of the vernacular rural American schoolhouse design.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c Butt, Tom (March 15, 2023). "Sierra City School - National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ "Snowslide Hazard". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. September 25, 1954. p. 4. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ "History Of The Early Schools Of Sierra County" (PDF). Sierra County Historical Society. 7 (1): 2. 1982. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ "California State Historical Resources Commission to Consider 14 Properties for Action at November 3 Meeting". California State Parks. October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
- ^ Tom Butt (July 31, 2024). "After 68 Years, Bell Rings Again Atop Historic Sierra City School". The Mountain Messenger. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ "The Bell Rings Again at Sierra City's Historic Old Schoolhouse". Tom Butt E-Forum. July 23, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
External links
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Media related to Sierra City School at Wikimedia Commons