Schoolhouse

The existing schoolhouse dates to 1870.  It is the third school building on the site. The first, built in ca. 1755, was the first schoolhouse in the township. It was known as the Centre Hill School and was originally established by the Buckingham Friends Meeting. In 1808, the Centre Hill School came under the leadership of Solebury Friends and by 1810, according to the datestone on the current schoolhouse, the Friends had constructed a new school at the site. The Centre Hill school was transferred to the township in 1870; by then, it was one of 13 elementary schools. When the Township acquired the Centre Hill school in 1870, it built a new school on the site; this building remains standing today. Used for 255 years for education from 1757 until 2012, the property is believed to be the longest continually operated site for educational purposes in Pennsylvania.

Up until the 1920s students in grades 1 through 8 attended this schoolhouse. Then from the late 20s through the 50s students in grades 1 to 3 were educated there — one teacher for all grades. In more recent years the school district used it for their school library for a while, then later for special education classes. It now houses the Historical Society’s office and extensive research library.