This week let’s look at another local, one room schoolhouse and how it’s been repurposed over the years. Though the original structure dates back to the 1800’s, and additions and modifications have been made, it still stands.

What I’m referring to is the Gardnertown School. No, not the brick and mortar one which was constructed in the 1950’s, but the small, wooden structure which served as the source of education to many of our ancestors.

As our town grew, and the population increased, more room for students was needed. And, at the same time everything around us was growing. Transportation improved, students attended the large schools in the Newburgh School District and life was good. As the enrollment increased the need for a larger building to accommodate the bigger student enrollment in the Town, the current school came into being.

But, the tiny one room schoolhouse was not be to be forgotten. It was repurposed into Town Hall for the Town of Newburgh. The previous Town Hall, which no longer stands, was on Route 52, about half a mile south of the intersection with Route 300. Really, the little church a good choice since it is geographically located in the center of our Town, and it tenaciously held on.
Our Town continued to grow and improve and more room was needed to house the services needed by our people. A new Town Hall was built just north of our little schoolhouse in 1973, which dwarfed the tiny schoolhouse in comparison.

Rather than be torn down, the decision was made to turn the building into the Town of Newburgh Police Headquarters. It may sound a little funny, but back then, most communications were by phone, not radio. And, the police force was small. This fantastic concept saved the structure again.

The only thing which never changes is change and with the continued growth of our Town, a larger, more modern structure was necessary to be the home of a larger, modern police force. So, the decision was made to build a new Police Station adjacent to the time honored little schoolhouse, a bit to the east, on Gardnertown Road in 1989.

The little one room schoolhouse doggedly held its ground and refused to go quietly into the night. The new incarnation was as an auxiliary Town Hall to house Code Compliance, and the Planning and Zoning Board Departments!

The little schoolhouse which wouldn’t quit is a reflection of the people of our community to utilize what we have available and preserve our history. So, if you need to drop by this building, take a moment to reflect on all the changes it’s seen and perhaps wonder what changes it will see in the future.