"Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse"
18th century
St. Augustine, Florida USA
At first glance, the ramshackle building near the historic city gates of St. Augustine, Florida may look like a movie set. Surely no house could be that weathered and still stand! But records show that the tiny house is the oldest wooden school building in the United States.
"Oldest Wood Schoolhouse"
Photos Copyright © Jackie Craven
The house first appears on St. Augustine's tax rolls in 1716, but it was constructed before then. By 1788, the building was only "in fair condition," according to a Spanish map of that time.
Originally, the building was a small homestead belonging to Juan Genoply. Juan Genoply later married and the house became a school, so he added an extra room. The schoolmaster lived upstairs with his family and used the first floor as a classroom. Boys and girls shared the same classroom, making the St. Augustine school the first in the young nation to go "co-ed."
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Today, the schoolhouse resembles a theme park attraction. Mechanized figures dressed in 18th century attire greet visitors and describe a typical school day. Children can receive make-believe diplomas. But America's "oldest wooden schoolhouse" is not all fun and games. The building has seen very little changes in the past two hundred years. By examining its construction, you can see how buildings were made in America's colonies.
The schoolhouse is constructed of pest-resistant red cedar and cypress timbers secured with wooden pegs. Drinking water was drawn from a well, and a privy was dug away from the main building. To protect the house from heat and fire dangers, the kitchen was located separate quarters, detached from the main building. A garden with hibiscus, bird-of-paradise, and other tropical plants offer fragrant aromas and soothing shade.
"Oldest Wood Schoolhouse"
Photos Copyright © Jackie Craven
If you look closely, you may also notice an enormous anchor secured to the house with a long chain. These are not a part of the original construction. Worried that a hurricane might whisk the little schoolhouse away, townspeople added the anchor in 1937.
