CHAFFEE COUNTY – Few sights across Colorado evoke a sense of nostalgia more than the one-room schoolhouse. There are over 600 historical rural schoolhouses scattered across the state. Mostly defunct and in disrepair, some have been preserved and a few, such as the Gold Hill School in Boulder County, are operational today.

Dating back to when Colorado was still a territory, early log-constructed schools have been erased by time. Thereafter, the most common building material used was dimensional lumber. About 25 percent of the time, brick was utilized. The Gas Creek Schoolhouse near Nathrop, on Highway 285 south of Buena Vista, is a fine example of a brick and mortar one-room schoolhouse.

Constructed in 1909, it served the surrounding agricultural community’s educational needs for children in grades one through eight. Between five and 16 students were enrolled in any given year. Kids would often ride their horses to school or be driven by carriage. Parents provided firewood for the potbelly wood-burning stove and donated their time to address any maintenance issues that arose. Water was drawn from a nearby hand-pumped well.

Its simple 30x26 footprint is typical of the time period. Fairly unique in a building this small are the separate entrances for boys and girls. Its crowning jewel is the belltower that signaled the beginning and end of classes. Concrete vault outhouses were added in 1936 through the Works Progress Administration. Electricity arrived in 1949.

Teachers were usually young high school-educated single women. Although at times rewarding, the job was demanding and offered low pay. Rural life wasn’t for everyone and turnover was high. Gas Creek School went through more than 30 teachers in the 49 years that it was open. During the 1938-39 school year, Betty Farrington was paid $75 per month. She stayed with a local family and was charged $25 a month for room and board.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic were emphasized. The one-on-one personal attention each and every student received from their teacher you’d be hard-pressed to match in the modern era.

The schoolhouse was more than a place of learning—it was the hub of the community. Saturday night dances were held there, as well as meetings, Christmas plays, spelling bees, box socials, potlucks, weddings, funerals, and elections.

With more people moving to cities and transportation easier than it once had been, Colorado’s School District Reorganization Act of 1949 paved the way for newer, bigger schools and the elimination of one-room schoolhouses. The Gas Creek Schoolhouse closed its doors in 1958.

The erstwhile schoolhouse is a private residence today. A kitchen, enclosed bedroom, and loft have been added, but original interior elements of the structure remain, including the lath and plaster walls, fir flooring, decorative wainscot beadboard trim, and the green slate chalkboards.

In 2018, Gas Creek Schoolhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places.