The Red Brick School House on the Hill
The History and tales of the Red Brick School House…
Stories From the Motherlodes
What’s believed to be California’s oldest surviving two-story brick school sits on a hill in the little town of Columbia. Nestled in the beautiful Mother-Lodes, Columbia was once home to Gold Miners who came not only from all of the country but the world in hopes of striking it rich.
The two-story school house near the Old Cemetery was built in 1860 to accommodate the children of these miners.
The lot where the school now stands was bought in 1860. This location was beneficial because it wasn’t near town fires. In 1854 and 1857, there were two huge town fires.
The building was completed in October.08.1860, and a ceremony celebrating the school’s opening was held in November. It’s believed the school opened in November with over 300 students and two teachers and a principal.
In March 1861, the students were without desks, but by September when classes resumed, they would have them.
From the late 1850s to 1864, non-White students weren’t allowed to attend public schools; it wasn’t…
