Visit a Historic Schoolhouse and Cemetery in Sedalia, Colorado
Several historic schoolhouses that are over a century old remain standing across Colorado. These antique educational buildings date back more than a hundred years and give a good glimpse into what schools of simpler times looked like.
One of these treasured structures can be found in the town of Sedalia, Colorado.
Indian Park School was in operation in Douglas County from 1884 to 1959. The land for the school was purchased by William Smith in 1883, and it was built a year later. It was deeded to the school district No.7 in 1885. Throughout the years, the school went through a series of name changes, like Brown’s School, Mountain School, and Jarre Canyon School before finally being called Indian Park School.
According to documents from the Douglas County Library, the school never had more than twelve students of various ages at any particular time. In fact, usually, the class size was far fewer than that - at one time there was just a single student in attendance. Teachers were brought in from afar and boarded at local homes.
During those years, the one-room building was also the site of many community events such as picnics, Christmas programs, films, and graduations.
In 1959, Indian Park became one of the last rural schools in the county to close. The Indian Park Schoolhouse Association purchased the building in 1974 in response to rumors spreading about the proposed commercial usage of the land.
On February 8, 1978, it was announced that the school was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Nowadays, the 12-by-20-foot building is still a hub for the community's social gatherings, including square dances, yoga classes, flea markets, and forest service meetings. It is furnished inside.
The exterior of the simple, one-story wood-frame rural schoolhouse features the original school bell and pine flagpole. It is currently maintained by the Indian Park Schoolhouse Association.
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A pioneer cemetery can also be found on the grounds. William and Margaret Smith, along with a few other family members, are buried in the Indian Park Cemetery, situated up the hill adjacent to the school. Family plots were common during this period.
A sign attached to the fence notes that children by the last name of Brown are also buried in the cemetery. The children lived in the house across the road from the schoolhouse.
Indian Park School is located at 1403 Colo. Hwy. 67. Be respectful when visiting the grounds.
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Gallery Credit: Kelsey Nistel