Telling the SAT Story: The Georgetown 1874 Schoolhouse
Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation
Georgetown, Colorado
Year of Award: 2006
Federal Amount: $150,000
Matching Amount: $252,755
The Georgetown Schoolhouse is “the” iconic structure in the Georgetown Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District, a district designated because of its importance in interpreting the 19th century mining boom in the Rocky Mountain West. Located about 45 miles west of Denver in Georgetown, Colorado, the District has over 400 historic resources, but this most central and visible building, built in 1874 when Georgetown was at the center of a bustling mining community, sat in a deteriorated condition for over 60 years. The District could not be considered restored with the ”Romanesque rotten apple in its midst”.
Georgetown Schoolhouse in 1874, courtesy of Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation.
Possibly the oldest brick school building in Colorado, it functioned as an active school until 1938 when it was purchased by a private individual who used it for storage and a machine shop, even demolishing part of one side of the building for trucks to drive in. In 2007, the Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation purchased the property and applied for a Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grant to help restore the beauty of the fading landmark.
Georgetown Schoolhouse before restoration, courtesy of Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation.
The awarding of a $150,000 SAT grant in 2006 permitted the restoration on the exterior of the structure to begin. While the character defining exterior-features of the school were plain to see, decisions about the interior were equally critical. Some of the uses first suggested for the schoolhouse included residential lofts or gutting the interior for a large performance space. The SAT grant led the community to consider the idea of keeping the school as a school. Now the building will become the Georgetown Heritage Center opening in 2015. It will house the local history archive maintained by the Georgetown Library District, a Cultural Arts teaching program, and a performance space. Thanks to SAT, the school will once again be a school.
Restoration work in progress, courtesy of National Park Service.
The SAT backed restoration project became a learning experience for everyone involved. During the exterior restoration, the Trust engaged the Colorado Mountain College Technical Preservation Program to assess and assist in restoring the 36 large exterior windows. Plans for the reconstructed towers were created by examining historic photographs and proved to be a fascinating exercise for all involved. The floors of the old building are worn and have the desk marks of a past life and the challenge became how to save them and still create usable space.
Restoration work in progress, courtesy of National Park Service.
Drawing attention to the national importance of the restoration project, the SAT grant helped inspire local and regional donors to get involved. Seven years and 2.7 million dollars later, over 200 individual donors plus many Colorado foundations and a significant participation from the Colorado State Historical Fund helped make this project happen. Remaining challenges include raising funds for the finishing touches for furnishings and the landscape that will bring the building inside and out back to life.
Restoration work in progress, courtesy of National Park Service.
Receiving the SAT grant helped the Georgetown Trust leverage funding and community resources to once again turn the Schoolhouse into ‘the pride of Georgetown” as it was called in 1880. It also contributed to raising community consciousness about the importance of preservation and reinvigorated pride in the Landmark District. This endeavor reminded the 1,000 residents how the restored 1874 school could serve as an attraction to the town in a heritage tourism based community. Aligning preservation with economic development has served Georgetown well by creating an authentic destination bringing in visitors to shop, dine, and explore the historic district. The future uses of the schoolhouse will bring new visitors interested in learning about the area’s rich mining heritage and add to the town’s economic vitality.
Georgetown Schoolhouse after restoration, courtesy of Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation.
For more information on the Georgetown Schoolhouse, please visit www.georgetowntrust.org.
Established in 1999, the Save America’s Treasures program is managed by the National Park Service, with the National Endowment Agencies, to preserve and protect nationally significant properties and collections for future generations of Americans. Stories of saving those treasures will be shared through partnership with the American Architecture Foundation.
Title photo courtesy of Georgetown Trust for Conservation & Preservation.
