This cache is across the street form a little building that started its life as a one-room schoolhouse and is still in use today as a church (ecclesial meeeting hall). Check out its interesting history below.
History of The “Schoolhouse” at Scrabble Four Corners
In 1803, a parcel of land was sold by Daniel Graves to Bartlett Damon for the sum of $5. Around 1848 or 1850 the original log school house which was “a little north of the plank bridge leading to the Siliski property” burned to the ground. Shortly thereafter, a new schoolhouse was built on Bartlett Damon’s property, and school was held at that site for about three years, at which time it was officially purchased by School District #10, for $90. (This was the original building that has been renovated and remains at Scrabble Four Corners today.)
The Scrabble one-room schoolhouse was likely used for many years, until classes were moved to a newer building in town. Later, the school house was used occasionally by other groups. Around 1930, a small local church group, the Christadelphians, who had been meeting in homes, gained permission to hold their religious services and other functions in the building. They have met there continuously now for over 80 years.
By 1940, the Christadelphian group had grown, and they were able to install electricity. The building, at that time, was heated by a pot-belly stove in the center of the room, and there was an “outhouse” up on the hill in the back. In 1950, they applied to purchase the building. Even though the town school district had previously authorized the sale of the (over 100 year old) building, the school board was not in favor of selling the building at that time. However, they asked that the Christadelphians, who owned all the furnishings and paid for the electricity, continue to manage it, and that they continue to allow other groups, such as the 4H Club, to conduct reasonable activities there. The other stipulation was the following: “the desire of the school board that activities carried on in the building should not involve dancing or other forms of strenuous activities which might be more than the strength of the floor was able to withstand in its present condition.”
By 1957, the Christadelphians’ application for purchase was finally accepted, and so the sale was finalized for a sum of $700. The large bell, with rope pull, which for years had called neighborhood children to school was removed, and believed to have been taken to the telephone business office in town. Additions which gradually followed, included a furnace room, a large entry room, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a large parking area in the back, on land owned and formerly used for a garden and a chicken coop by one of the members. Eventually, the well under the building was repaired, and a new floor was put into the newer part of the building, along with other necessary updates. The Christadelphians still own and maintain the “schoolhouse” or “meetinghouse” as it is affectionately referred to by some of the older members. They are part of a small Bible-based religious body which has been in existence under the Christadelphian name, (meaning “brethren in Christ”) for over 160 years.