Little Red Schoolhouse (Brunswick, New York)
District No. 1 Schoolhouse | |
View from the north, 2009 | |
Location within the state of New York | |
| Location | Clums Corners, North Greenbush, New York |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Troy |
| Coordinates | 42°45′4.29″N 73°34′28.8″W / 42.7511917°N 73.574667°W |
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha)[2] |
| Built | c. 1830[3] or 1837[2] |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival[2] |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000582[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 3, 2008 |
The District #6 Schoolhouse, also known locally as the Little Red Schoolhouse [4] located in Brunswick, New York, United States, is a one-room schoolhouse built c. 1830[3] or 1837[2] that was home to grades one through eight until the consolidation of Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District in 1952.[3] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on July 3, 2008[5] and a dedication ceremony for the accomplishment was held on June 12, 2009.[3]
The building, located on New York Route 278, is still owned by Brunswick Central School District.[3] It is believed to be one of the oldest remaining schoolhouses in Rensselaer County.[2]
History
The schoolhouse was built either in 1830[3] or 1837[2]—though sources disagree on which—and served as a local grade school for more than a century. It hosted children ranging from grade one to eight together in one classroom.[3] The district was centered around Clums Corners and was originally designated District 11 until being renamed District 6 sometime between 1854 and 1862.[2]
The structure was built on land donated by Luther and Olive Eddy, who owned a large tract of farmland adjacent to the current lot.[2] Luther Eddy later became the first town superintendent for education in 1844.[6]
After the consolidation of Brunswick Central School District in the 1950s, the school was closed. At one point, it was reopened for a year to accommodate the large student population on the new school's campus.
It was later used as a garage by the school district. The west wall was removed to accommodate vehicles.[2] After that, it was used as a storage house by the district.[2]
During the 1970s, the exterior of the building was restored by the local Kiwanis, including replacing the west wall which had been removed.[2] The building was then used by the Brunswick Historical Society as a museum. By 2007, most of the interior was refurbished by donations of time and materials from local residents.
Beginning in the mid-2000s (decade), an effort was made by the Brunswick Town Historian to add the site to National Register of Historic Places.[2] This would be the second former schoolhouse in the town to be listed on the NRHP, the Garfield School being the first.[2][7] Following an interior restoration that was completed in 2007, the site was added to the register on July 3, 2008, as District No. 6 Schoolhouse.[5]
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Sharon Zankel (April 22, 2008). National Register of Historic Places Registration: New York SP District No. 6 Schoolhouse. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved November 22, 2025. (Downloading may be slow.)
- ^ a b c d e f g Gardinier, Bob (June 12, 2009). "School is an open book on past". Times Union (Albany). Retrieved June 13, 2009.
- ^ Zankel, Sharon Martin (1998). Images of America: Brunswick. Arcadia Publishing/Brunswick Historical Society. p. 72. ISBN 0-7524-1306-6.
- ^ a b "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Priorities: 8/18/08 through 8/22/08 (August 29, 2008)" (PDF). National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places. July 3, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
- ^ Anderson, George Baker (1897). "Chapter 28: Town of Brunswick". Index to Landmarks of Rensselaer County, New York. D. Mason & Co. Publishers. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
- ^ "About Us: Garfield School". Brunswick Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2009.