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Roe Cobblestone Schoolhouse
| Historic Site #: | 02-001 (Exists) Type: A1,B2,C1,D1,E3 | Town: | Butler | ||
| Site Name: | Roe Cobblestone Schoolhouse | GPS Coordinates: | 43.189817, -76.797383 | ||
| Address: | 12397 Van Vleck Rd, Wolcott, NY 14590 | ||||
| Description: | |||||
Built in the 1820s, the Roe school house in the town of Butler is believed to be the oldest existing cobblestone school house in North America. Now a museum, it is located at 12397 Van Vleck Road at the intersection of Route 89. It was built by Daniel Roe, an early pioneer. It was often referred to as the Watson Schoolhouse. It is believed to be one of the very oldest cobblestone buildings in the area. Rather than using the smooth-washed lake stones characteristic of later cobblestone buildings, it is constructed of rough field stones that were taken from the property on which it rests. Some of the stones were split in half because of their larger size. In 2008, the Roe Cobblestone schoolhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. (by Richard Palmer) | |||||
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| Photo by Richard Palmer | Photo by Richard Palmer |
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| Photo by Richard Palmer | Butler Historical Preservation Society |
| Historic narrative: | |||||
Daniel, Nabby Tucker Roe, and their 11 children came to the present Town of Butler in 1813 from Litchfield, CT. On their property, the Roe Cobblestone School was built by 1824, and perhaps earlier. It is one of the earliest cobblestone buildings in North America. Fieldstones were used for the construction. They are larger and rougher than the smaller, smooth, lake stones used in later cobblestones. The school was used for early Methodist church services, as well as a school, until centralization took place circa 1935. A large portion of all of the cobblestone structures in the world are found within a 100 mile radius of Rochester, NY. Butler Historical Preservation Society is collecting information on the ROE family and the school house. This is just one of the over 100 photos of Town of Butler historic buildings and families that are available on a CD from Butler Historical Preservation Society. | |||||
Roe Cobblestone Schoolhouse - National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
National Registry of Historic Places Location Documentation Form