District 1 – Part 2:
Olmstedville Union School
Transformations Early Years (1855–1904)
Close your eyes and picture for a moment your first day of school—the excitement, the wonder, the nerves. Are you back there in your childhood, reliving that first day?
Let’s take a step back in time. A time early in Minerva’s history. Back to her foundations. Back to her commitment to educating her children.
That feeling you just called up when I asked you to close your eyes—that was the feeling of the students walking into the District 1 schoolhouse when it opened its doors for the very first time in 1855. This wasn’t just the first day for them; it was the first day for the schoolhouse as well. All brand new and shiny like a new penny. A whole new future lay ahead for those bright young minds.
And while we’ll mention the students, this isn’t their story. This is the story of the building—of its growth and evolution over time, and all the happiness and sadness wrapped up in that tale.
In April 1893, when District 1 turned thirty-eight years old, Bessie Sullivan became one of the new students entering its halls. Bessie, it turns out, would play an important role—not only in documenting the history of the building but in helping it carry out its mission as an educational mecca. Over the next fifteen years, she would complete the 8th grade and take a few high school courses when possible.
Let’s take a step back in time. A time early in Minerva’s history. Back to her foundations. Back to her commitment to educating her children.
That feeling you just called up when I asked you to close your eyes—that was the feeling of the students walking into the District 1 schoolhouse when it opened its doors for the very first time in 1855. This wasn’t just the first day for them; it was the first day for the schoolhouse as well. All brand new and shiny like a new penny. A whole new future lay ahead for those bright young minds.
And while we’ll mention the students, this isn’t their story. This is the story of the building—of its growth and evolution over time, and all the happiness and sadness wrapped up in that tale.
In April 1893, when District 1 turned thirty-eight years old, Bessie Sullivan became one of the new students entering its halls. Bessie, it turns out, would play an important role—not only in documenting the history of the building but in helping it carry out its mission as an educational mecca. Over the next fifteen years, she would complete the 8th grade and take a few high school courses when possible.
Olmsteadville School District NO. 1, about 1902. Front Row: Joe Church, _____ Burto, Harry McNally, Lucille Clifford (Johnston), Walter Sullivan, Anna Clifford, Mary Burnell, Marjorie Scales, Marion Lavery, Lillian Talbot (Summer), John Clifford, Minnie Clifford (Liberty), Gladys Wilson, Hattie Lindsay (Carney), Emma Welch (Burnell), Addie Raymond. Middle Row: Arthur McNally, Ann Lize McGinn (teacher), Sadie Church (severance), Wesley Barnes, Patrick Sullivan, Peter Lindsay, Trustees: Lucy Burnell (Sullivan), Miss McDonald (teacher). Back Row: (Standing): Madge Lindsay (Flock), Florence Barnes (Brannon), Eva McNally (Strohmeyer), Grace welch (Saunders, Albert Church, Courtney Hammond, Mamie Lane, Kate Lindsay (Wilson), Donald McGinn, Ben Burnell, Mort Sullivan, Kate Lane (Oliver), Charlee Sullivan, Mildred Church, Bess Talbot (Sullivan), Jimmy McGinn, Addie Sullivan, John Sullivan, Thomas McNally, Orpha Hammond, Gertrude Ramsey, Augusta Ramsey, Marion Talbot.
The image to the left shows District 1 at 47 years of age, before any of the many facelifts and renovations she underwent over the next 34 years. We can see that the building was a wide u-shape with two wings protruding out from the front of the building. A long front porch is visible with wooden steps on either side.
The floorplan of the building at this time may be a mystery we never solve. The students who once graced her halls in its early years have all passed on. To date, no photos of the interior have been discovered. We know that at this time the only one story existed with one classroom indicative of the time. We know that there was a stage on the right side of the building but we do not know if that was original or added during one the renovations. There is currently a modern bathroom in the left wing but we do not know if it was an indoor bathroom for the students. The one photograph we have shows what appears to be an outside in the rear of the building. The stairs to the basement are on the right side of the building and one could assume that this area may have been a mud room for coats and lunches.
The floorplan of the building at this time may be a mystery we never solve. The students who once graced her halls in its early years have all passed on. To date, no photos of the interior have been discovered. We know that at this time the only one story existed with one classroom indicative of the time. We know that there was a stage on the right side of the building but we do not know if that was original or added during one the renovations. There is currently a modern bathroom in the left wing but we do not know if it was an indoor bathroom for the students. The one photograph we have shows what appears to be an outside in the rear of the building. The stairs to the basement are on the right side of the building and one could assume that this area may have been a mud room for coats and lunches.
Expansion in 1905
Photo provided by Bessie Sullivan showing District 1 after the first renovation circa 1920. The 2nd floor addition and bell tower are present. The front porch has been closed in and a new porch added.
In 1905, District 1 turned 50 and was having some serious growing pains and was bursting at the seams. More space and more teachers were needed to accommodate the students and their learning. So District 1 got a facelift. Her roof was raised, and a second floor was added ready to welcome even more learners. During the renovation classes were temporarily relocated to the home of Peter Lindsay. Mr. Lindsay’s home has since been lost to time but for a brief period it took on the role of District 1.
The newly constructed second floor followed the basic layout of the original level, with a narrow hallway running along one side. From this hallway, students would enter a single large upstairs classroom. A small room at the top of the stairs was used as a classroom when needed, and a modest office was tucked along the hall. At the far end were two indoor bathrooms—located directly above the area on the first floor that may have later housed a similar facility. A photo from this period shows an outhouse-style building behind the school, suggesting that indoor plumbing was not part of the original design. A bell tower was added to the front of the building, at this time which included a small room that opened onto the second floor—likely used to access the bell or for storage. A library was also introduced, though its exact location remains unclear, perhaps the small office space in the hallway.
Bessie had just completed the teacher training program in Corinth and returned home to become the new second teacher in District 1. The student, now the teacher helped the older students put on a play in 1906 in order to purchase a bell for the tower. The location of the bell is currently unknown.
It also turns out that Bessie held the original deed showing the sale of the land the school building called home. The deed showed that on September 1, 1854, Henry Dornburgh sold a half-acre of land in Lot 40 to the district. Dornburgh, a carpenter who had recently moved to Minerva from Newcomb, likely built the original structure himself. Thanks to Bessie, District 1 now had its origin story.
The newly constructed second floor followed the basic layout of the original level, with a narrow hallway running along one side. From this hallway, students would enter a single large upstairs classroom. A small room at the top of the stairs was used as a classroom when needed, and a modest office was tucked along the hall. At the far end were two indoor bathrooms—located directly above the area on the first floor that may have later housed a similar facility. A photo from this period shows an outhouse-style building behind the school, suggesting that indoor plumbing was not part of the original design. A bell tower was added to the front of the building, at this time which included a small room that opened onto the second floor—likely used to access the bell or for storage. A library was also introduced, though its exact location remains unclear, perhaps the small office space in the hallway.
Bessie had just completed the teacher training program in Corinth and returned home to become the new second teacher in District 1. The student, now the teacher helped the older students put on a play in 1906 in order to purchase a bell for the tower. The location of the bell is currently unknown.
It also turns out that Bessie held the original deed showing the sale of the land the school building called home. The deed showed that on September 1, 1854, Henry Dornburgh sold a half-acre of land in Lot 40 to the district. Dornburgh, a carpenter who had recently moved to Minerva from Newcomb, likely built the original structure himself. Thanks to Bessie, District 1 now had its origin story.
Adding High School (1922–1925)
A sketch of District 1 now called Olmstedville Union School dated 1925. The sketch is found in the the 1975 Minerva Central school Yearbook. This sketch shows the addition of a room over the front entrance and another set of windows at the back portraying the addition of two classrooms at the back.
District 1’s curriculum only allowed for educating students through the eighth grade. After that, if a student wished to continue their education, they had to travel to other towns and in some cases leave home and board with other families. In the summer of 1922, sisters Teresa, Eloise and Rose Cronin were facing that situation. They told their mother Lillian Butler Cronin what a shame it was that Minerva did not offer a high school program. They shared their concerns with Jack Kelly, president of the school board who was supportive of the idea. So, the girls circulated a petition, and on May 25, 1922, a special meeting was held. The motion to add an academic depar68tment (high school) passed unanimously.
For the 1922–1923 term, Mr. J.P. Keenan was hired as principal, and the academic department was opened in the same building that continued to serve grade school students. In July 1923, the district approved a construction project to add one room upstairs and another downstairs. Folding doors allowed the two lower rooms to open into a larger auditorium space. While the additions were underway, high school classes were first held in the St. Onge building, which stood just a few doors up from the four corners in Olmstedville on the left. But when fall rains caused the nearby creek to overflow, that building had to be abandoned. Classes were then moved to Bradley Hall—the original Grange Hall—which later became the Strohmeyer Bros. store and, more recently, Lil’ Nony’s Diner. Students wryly nicknamed it “Bradley Academy.”
At 68 years old, District 1 got another facelift, a new name: Olmstedville High School and, a new lease on life as a school that now served students beyond the eighth grade. The new expanded school was ready for occupancy in January 1924. Although we know the end result of all of the renovations District 1 underwent, she doesn’t give up her secrets easily. Records hint that two rooms were added—one upstairs and one down, likely at the back of the building. But she keeps some mystery intact: the foundation doesn’t show signs of expansion, and it still supports the entire structure today. We don’t know if an addition was added or rooms were large enough to be divided. The entire outside of the building went from clapboard siding to stucco so there are no clues to be found there.
Still, a few memories shine through. Joseph Thomas, a graduate of the Class of 1935, remembered what it was like to study upstairs when schoolhouse when writing From Memories of 1935 for the 1975 Minerva Central School Yearbook.
“These four years were spent in two large rooms upstairs in the old school. The hall was used for study and class both; then there was a little room built over the downstairs entrance. This was used for a lab and classes too. This small room had one distinction—after the first frost in the fall, it could be used as a walk-in freezer. Many classes were held with everyone dressed in coats, caps, and mittens. In spite of all these conditions, we enjoyed it and earned an education.
Note: The small, unheated space he describes was likely the tiny room in the bell tower.
On June 22, 1925, when District 1 turned 70, she graduated her first class. Its members were Jack Sullivan, Harold Thomas, Helen Cronin, Robert Blackburn, Roselle Ryan, Ernest Havron, and Helen Barnes.
For the 1922–1923 term, Mr. J.P. Keenan was hired as principal, and the academic department was opened in the same building that continued to serve grade school students. In July 1923, the district approved a construction project to add one room upstairs and another downstairs. Folding doors allowed the two lower rooms to open into a larger auditorium space. While the additions were underway, high school classes were first held in the St. Onge building, which stood just a few doors up from the four corners in Olmstedville on the left. But when fall rains caused the nearby creek to overflow, that building had to be abandoned. Classes were then moved to Bradley Hall—the original Grange Hall—which later became the Strohmeyer Bros. store and, more recently, Lil’ Nony’s Diner. Students wryly nicknamed it “Bradley Academy.”
At 68 years old, District 1 got another facelift, a new name: Olmstedville High School and, a new lease on life as a school that now served students beyond the eighth grade. The new expanded school was ready for occupancy in January 1924. Although we know the end result of all of the renovations District 1 underwent, she doesn’t give up her secrets easily. Records hint that two rooms were added—one upstairs and one down, likely at the back of the building. But she keeps some mystery intact: the foundation doesn’t show signs of expansion, and it still supports the entire structure today. We don’t know if an addition was added or rooms were large enough to be divided. The entire outside of the building went from clapboard siding to stucco so there are no clues to be found there.
Still, a few memories shine through. Joseph Thomas, a graduate of the Class of 1935, remembered what it was like to study upstairs when schoolhouse when writing From Memories of 1935 for the 1975 Minerva Central School Yearbook.
“These four years were spent in two large rooms upstairs in the old school. The hall was used for study and class both; then there was a little room built over the downstairs entrance. This was used for a lab and classes too. This small room had one distinction—after the first frost in the fall, it could be used as a walk-in freezer. Many classes were held with everyone dressed in coats, caps, and mittens. In spite of all these conditions, we enjoyed it and earned an education.
Note: The small, unheated space he describes was likely the tiny room in the bell tower.
On June 22, 1925, when District 1 turned 70, she graduated her first class. Its members were Jack Sullivan, Harold Thomas, Helen Cronin, Robert Blackburn, Roselle Ryan, Ernest Havron, and Helen Barnes.
A New School (1930s to Present)
In 1934, the Irishtown (District 4), Gore (District 7), and Aiden Lair (District 3) schools were closed and merged into District 1, thanks in part to improved roads and the introduction of school buses. With a growing student population, the district voted in 1935 to build a larger, more modern school on land once owned by Thomas Powers and later James McSweeney. The house on that site had burned in 1930.
Funded in part by the WPA, the new school opened in the fall of 1937. It featured a gymnasium, classrooms divided by grade level, and for the first time, a hot lunch program—ending the age of tin lunch pails. High school classes moved to the second floor.
And so, the beloved schoolhouse—District 1—ended her long run as a place of learning. At the age of 82, she stepped into a new role: a family home for the Blackburn family. Purchased, by one of her first graduates Robert Blackburn sometime after 1936. It remained in their care until the summer of 2025, when it was purchased by Mike Mather. His plans for the structure remain unknown.
Funded in part by the WPA, the new school opened in the fall of 1937. It featured a gymnasium, classrooms divided by grade level, and for the first time, a hot lunch program—ending the age of tin lunch pails. High school classes moved to the second floor.
And so, the beloved schoolhouse—District 1—ended her long run as a place of learning. At the age of 82, she stepped into a new role: a family home for the Blackburn family. Purchased, by one of her first graduates Robert Blackburn sometime after 1936. It remained in their care until the summer of 2025, when it was purchased by Mike Mather. His plans for the structure remain unknown.
Architectural Features & Changes
She may be silent now, but her structure still speaks volumes—if you know how to listen:
- A 1979 survey noted the exterior was mixed: the first floor had board-and-batten siding while the second floor was stucco. (In 1931, however, the entire building had been stuccoed, so the first-floor siding must have been a later change
- The original bell tower was still intact in 1979 but has since been removed. The roof peak where it once stood is still visible.
- The foundation appears original, suggesting that the basement footprint was never expanded.
- The second story was added by raising the roof; stairs to the new level were constructed over the original basement stairs.
- At some point, a vehicle ramp was dug at the front of the building. Stones from the foundation were removed to create garage access, and a concrete pad was poured—most likely by the Blackburn family.
Present Day
As of June 2025, the building had been abandoned for several years. However, when the new owner allowed access to members of the Historical Society, it offered a rare and moving glimpse into the past. Museum Director and Trustee Cynthia Perkins, Trustee Michael Corey, and Quarterly editor Sharon Stone were able to tour the space. To their delight, one of the upstairs rooms still held remnants from the school’s final days: a blackboard, desks, books, and various other artifacts—quiet witnesses to generations of learning. It is hoped that permission will be given to remove these items and store or display them for future generations to enjoy. The beauty of the craftsman style work is found all throughout the building.
Sadly, District 1 has not aged well and is in a serious state of disrepair. She is now 170 years old and in serious need of another facelift.
She may be far from her first day—no longer shiny like a new penny—but the laughter, learning, and legacy still echo through her halls.
Sadly, District 1 has not aged well and is in a serious state of disrepair. She is now 170 years old and in serious need of another facelift.
She may be far from her first day—no longer shiny like a new penny—but the laughter, learning, and legacy still echo through her halls.
