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Original use: Schoolhouse
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Map views courtesy Google Maps. Shown is the current appearance of the 1915 school building that replaced the cobblestone District School No. 8. Address is Google Earth confirmed; 43°09'07.58"N 76°05'37.92"W. Current owner of record, Weber as of the 2018 Tax Roll.
Town of Cicero and Onondaga County Maps
Cobblestone District School No. 8, "George Washington" School. It was on the north side of East Pine Grove Road at Thompson Road in Cicero. It was torn down and replaced by a wood frame school house in 1915. Richard Palmer blog.
George Washington Cobblestone School in Cicero
Records show in December 1840 the decision was made by the trustees of School District 8 in Cicero to build a new school house at the corner of what is now Pine Grove and Thompson Roads. This would be known as George Washington School. The district covered a territory of 2,378-acres. A quarter of an acre was purchased from Andrew Abbey for $45.
The school house measured 22 by 26 feet and a wood house measuring 10 by 12 feet. The trustees decided to build it of cobblestone as it would be as cheap but more durable than a wooden one. The new school house was completed and opened by the end of 1842. The date stone also contained the names of the trustees - T. Loomis, J. Mead, D. Smith, and "W.A.C. and J.T." as the builders.
Box seats were used, fastened to the floor. The entrance way was a hobnail door four inches thick. The stove was placed in the center of the room. In his 1899 book, Light Among the Shadows, the Rev. Almiron Smith, a blind evangelist minister, recalled he was a very good speller. Several schools would compete in spelling matches. He wrote: "I never failed but once of taking a prize in that school when one was offered." Later he returned as a teacher and recalled using the Bible as a textbook. Richard Palmer blog.
 Cic-3 District School 8_1.jpg ¹ |  Original cobblestone school 8 f-1a 2.jpg ¹ |  Cic-3 District School 8_2.jpg ² |  Cic-3 District School 8_3.jpg ² Wood frame replacement structure. Far right: Stone base of sign constructed of cobblestones from original school. |
 IMG_3773.jpg ¹ |
¹ Images courtesy Onondaga Historical Association. Richard Palmer blog. Old photos from collection of Thomas Mafrici of Cicero.
² Image courtesy Cobblestone Museum.
