Dixie Schoolhouse

The Dixie Schoolhouse is a historic one-room schoolhouse located in San Rafael, Marin County, Northern California. It was built in 1864, in the Victorian Italianate style.

Dixie Schoolhouse
Location2255 Las Gallinas Ave,
San Rafael, California
Coordinates38°1′45.65″N 122°32′46.29″W
Built1864
Architectural styleItalianate
NRHP reference No.72000236
Added to NRHPDecember 26, 1972

History

The school was the project of Irish immigrant and Marin pioneer James Miller. [1] A few traditions attempt to explain why Miller selected the name "Dixie", a nickname for the Southern United States. Some say the schoolhouse was built by southern carpenters, while others believe the name honors Mary Dixie, a local Indian woman; still others believe that "Dixie" is derived from the French word for "ten".[2]

The school was in use for classes from 1864 until 1958.[3] The Dixie School District (now the Miller Creek Elementary School District) got its name from this first school.[4] The school district changed its name in 2020 after considering the association with the 11 states in the South that seceded from the U.S. to form the Confederacy.[5]

In June 1971,[6] the schoolhouse was moved to its current location, near Miller Creek Middle School, also in San Rafael. It was restored and renovated prior to being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[3]

Museum

The school is currently preserved by the Old Dixie School Foundation, and is open to the public for visits on the first Sunday of every month from 2-4 P.M.[7]

See also
  • One-room schoolhouse interior
  • Classroom interior
  • Classroom interior

References
  1. Jerry and Catherine, "Old Dixie Schoolhouse", Jerry Graham's more Bay Area backroads, Perennial Library, 1990, p. 14
  2. "The fight over Dixie: Why does a Marin County school district even have that name?". Marin Independent Journal. January 16, 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  3. Roberts, George and Jan, Discover historic California: a travel guide to over 1,800 places you can see, p 46
  4. Lam, Kristin (February 13, 2019). "Confederate debate: Dixie School District in California votes to keep its name". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  5. Fry, Hannah (February 8, 2019). "A district named Dixie: Marin County schools' name sparks controversy over racism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  6. "Old Schoolhouse Starts New Life". San Rafael Daily Independent Journal. June 11, 1971. p. 5. Retrieved February 24, 2020 – via newspaperarchive.com.
  7. Berg, Sheila, "A Treasure in your Midst? Archived October 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine", New Valley Vibration, Lucas Valley Homeowners Association, November 2009, No. 436


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