USGS topographic maps are like a portal to the past. If you’ve never poured over one, examining the names of long-vanished communities, meandering creeks, and local landmarks like churches, schools, and cemeteries, then you’re missing out on a free and fun form of entertainment (in my opinion at least). I was scouting out such a map for work when I noticed a notation for “Old Kentucky Home School” in Lawrence County, Kentucky. Those four words served as a siren call for me.
To my surprise and delight, the school was still standing, nestled in a thicket of vegetation along the road.
The frame, front gable school sits well below the grade of the road, and apparently was part of a small community/hamlet once known as Jean located on Dry Fork Creek. The school seems to be the extent of what remains of that community – and it survived by becoming an agricultural outbuilding, with sheds built to either side and hay bales stored inside the former schoolroom.
Section of the Webbville, KY USGS topographic quadrangle showing the school (blue arrow).
Lawrence County is located in eastern Kentucky along the West Virginia/Kentucky boundary. The county, founded on December 14, 1821, was created from portions of Floyd and Greenup Counties. The War of 1812 was only a few years past when the county, which spans 420 square miles, was formed. The county was christened in honor of Captain James Lawrence, commander of the U.S.S. Chesapeake during the war.
Interior of the school, looking toward the far wall where the blackboard once hung.
The Old Kentucky Home School follows a typical design for rural one (and two room) schools in Kentucky from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Three long windows pierce either side, allowing ample natural light to flood the room. One door was located on the façade.
The entry door.
The exterior of the school is clad in weatherboards and the interior walls are sheathed in shiplap. A pot-bellied stove once held center stage in the middle of the room, providing the only heat to the interior. The stove is long gone, but the flue hole remains in the ceiling.
The flue hole for the stove that heated the school.
In 1927, there were 100 one and two room rural schools in Lawrence County. Only two years later, in 1929, a consolidation program commenced. New, larger schools were constructed to replace the many small frame schools scattered across the rural county.
Some of the windows of the Old Kentucky Home School.
The Louisa Chapter (Louisa is the county seat of Lawrence County) of the Daughters of the American Revolution are working on a historical preservation project entitled One Room and Early Schools of Lawrence County, Kentucky. I don’t know the status of this project, but I hope I can obtain a copy once it is complete.
And then maybe I can find out the story behind the intriguing name of “Old Kentucky Home” School…
What a wonderful building – redolent with the scholarship of those who passed before. My Mother taught in a one room school house on the prairie in Colorado and my Father taught in one in Harlan county before WW2. I have heard many stories from those days – including the one my Mother used to tell about having to kill a rattlesnake at the entry before she could start the daily lessons. Thanks for sharing!
I grew up in Boyd County as did my husband. He attended a 1-room school from grades 1-3. He always had wonderful memories of it. He went on to receive degrees from UK, a Masters from UofL and a PhD from Southern Seminary. That 1-room school started him off on his love of learning.
Very interesting — thank you
Fascinating, Janie! Evocative. For some reason this reminded me of “The Stairs That Ate [Your] Pants” 🙂 Of course, you used due caution.