Building date: 1840s
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Unique features: The school was expanded with a wood frame addition to the front. It is now a private home. Poorly maintained."Cobblestone Buildings in Onondaga County", 1992, Structure No. 14, compiled by Glenn Hinchey.
Map views courtesy Google Maps. Address is Google Earth confirmed; 43°06'12.46"N 76°04'07.55"W. Current owner of record, Heatway LLC as of the 2018 Tax Roll.
Town of DeWitt and Onondaga County Maps
This is the old DeWitt District #3 cobblestone school house at 6541 Route 298 in Collamer between Shuler and Loucks roads. It dates from the 1840s and is not readily visible due to a later wooden frame classroom addition on the front facing the highway. It was closed about 1954 when it was consolidated with Courtview School.
It is believed it was the last functioning cobblestone schoolhouse in Onondaga county. For awhile it housed Simon Parise Post 9596, Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as a meeting place for the local Boy and Girl Scout groups. An auction was ordered by the New York State Education Department which was held on July 12, 1958. The highest bidder was 1055 James St. Inc., a real estate company, for $5,950. Since then it has been a private dwelling. Richard Palmer blog.
Editor's Note: There is a contradiction whether the cobblestone school is District #2 (Onondaga Historical Association 6/3/1965 Cobblestone Museum archives) or #3, cobblestone researcher and blogger (Richard Palmer). The 1859 Map of Onondaga County shows this school in the Hamlet of Collamer listed just as "School" as are all schools in the Town of DeWitt. An inquiry has been made to the DeWitt Town Historian - Phone call not returned.
.jpg) 6541 Old Collamer Road (1).jpg ¹ Facing east | .jpg) 6541 Old Collamer Road (2).jpg ¹ Facing west | .jpg) 6541 Old Collamer Road (3).jpg ¹ Facing north |
¹ Photography courtesy Richard Palmer.
