Embedded Files
Date: Abt 2011
Caldwell Schoolhouse
Caldwell Schoolhouse
Information regarding the Caldwell School house is still an ongoing project.
The exact opening date of the first school in Caldwell is not known but is estimated to be about 1887 according to documents below.
According to the "The Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society Volume IX, Number 2 2012" states that "The first school in what is now Caldwell was where Lynn Anderson now lives on the old road. Later the one-room school was moved [to] where Marvin Bennett now lives. About 1915 the Caldwell School was given an additional teacher. This school was across the road from the other one-room school in the building that was occupied at that time by the Presbyterian Church." It goes on to say "In 1925 White Sulphur District voted a bond issue. One of the three buildings constructed was the present Caldwell School. The Monroe Draft School was discontinued and the pupils were transported to Caldwell."
The school house that everyone is familiar with today was build in 1925, accouding to the newspaper actical below, in addition it is estimated to have been discontinued around 1970 . After its closure as a school it served many purposes including housing and a bar. The land was bought in *** by the Caldwell Pentecostal Holiness Church to be used as the site for their future church do to the 2016 flood destroying the original church. The schoolhouse was razed in 2018 to begin construction for the new Caldwell Pentecostal Holiness Church . The church was erected in 2020 and sits in its place today.
Source: Greenbrier Historical Society
Schoolhouse can be seen in the right hand side of the photo.
Source: Greenbrier Historical Society
Caldwell School Kids about 1946.
Newspaper Articles
Newspaper Articles
Last Photo Dated: September 23 1965
Photo Sources above from Julie Shafer Wood
Other Schoolhouses in the Surrounding Area
Other Schoolhouses in the Surrounding Area
Balm of Gilead Schoolhouse
Balm of Gilead Schoolhouse
Location
About 1.4 Miles from North Caldwell
Original Rt. 60, Midland Trail present day Caldwell Hill Loop Rd.
About
Schoolhouse is still standing but has been made into a house currently occupied by residents to this day. It is believed to have gotten its name from the Bible, where it talks about the land of Gilead.
Coal Bank Schoolhouse
Coal Bank Schoolhouse
Location
Stonehouse Road about 2 miles north of Caldwell and 0.3 from the W.A. Napier Cole Mine
About
This schoolhouse is no longer standing today. Date of when it was built and razed is not known but was discontinued in 1925 and the pupils were transported to Lewisburg. It is strongly believed that the schoolhouse got its name from the coal mine that was located in the hillside nearby.
Solomon Spring Schoolhouse
Solomon Spring Schoolhouse
Location
2.7 miles from Caldwell, Coffman Hill Rd.
About
Although vacant this schoolhouse is till standing today but is difficult to recognize do to the heavy overgrowth of shrubs around it. At some point in its history it was added on to and made into a chaple. The main sanctuary of the chapel is the original schoolhouse. This chaple was only used for a short period of time and closed its doors around 2002, it was an extension of the Ronceverte Baptist Church.
Its name originates from the name of the spring directly behind the schoolhouse, Solomon Spring.
Attended School Children
Mary Kathryn Morgan
Dorothy Mae Morgan
Right to Left (1st Row) Marie Shafer, Bill Honaker, Velma Loudermilk, Lonas Honaker
(2nd Row) Eugene Ratliff, Sterling Coffman, Ina Sims, Margaret Toothman, Mildred Morgan
(3rd Row) Roy Honaker, Gilmer Coffman, Blanch Shafer, Hazel Morgan Hall
Source: Facebook
Solomon Springs Schoolhouse Today - Ronceverte Baptist Church Chaple
Solomon Springs Schoolhouse Today - Ronceverte Baptist Church Chaple
Front View - Over grown
Front View - Over grown
Back View
Outhouse
August 2, 2020
Source: Personal CollectionMonroe Draft Schoolhouse
Monroe Draft Schoolhouse
Location
Precisely unknown
About
Little about this school is known to me but is worth listing do to its close proximity to Caldwell. I do believe it is still standing today and has been made into a house. Its name was obviously given Monroe Draft school do to the old road name being Monroe Draft.
In 1925 White Sulphur District voted a bond issue. Because of this the Monroe Draft School was discontinued and the pupils were transported to Caldwell.
Holliday Schoolhouse
Holliday Schoolhouse
Location
Believed to be located on present day Masters Rd. Near where the McClean Church now stands.
About
This school is not standing today and it is not known when it was built or razed. The School was named afer Samuel Holiday. At some point after 1922 this school was combined with the Lewis School and was then known as the Holliday-Lewis School.
Lewis Schoolhouse (Holliday-Lewis Schoolhouse)
Lewis Schoolhouse (Holliday-Lewis Schoolhouse)
Location
Lewis Rd.
About
This school is not standing today, and it is not known to me when it was built. Unfortunately, its demise was due to a fire in the 1970's. A log cabin is sitting in its place today. The only thing original that could still be seen was the outhouse which has collapsed in recent years. The school was named after Fred Lewis.
Teachers
Cathline Dodd (One of the First Main Teachers)
Julia Legg
Dellcie Morton
Mr. Burgess
L.K. Fife
Attended School Children
Charels Huston Morgan Jr
Lewis Cave
The sinkhole that is located directly in front the cabin today has a cave at the bottom named Lewis Cave. Unfortunately, it has been filled in with brush from the local famers and can no longer be accessed. It is documented in National Geological Survey, the survey reads as follows:
"Lewis Cave is in a low hill, 1/4 mile south of Holliday-Lewis School, and 600 feet west of the county road. (Elevation 2200 feet). The entrance is a narrow, trash-filled fissure at the base of the hill. the case extends west into the hill as a crawlway which branches into two passages and opens into a small room 14 feet in diameter. The total length of the passages is 225 feet. Lewis Cave is in the Hillsdale Limestone Greenbrier Series."
Source: Charles Huston Morgan Jr, Kermit Lee Morgan, Geological and Economic Survey, Paul H. Price, Director and State Geologist, Volume XIX A., Caverns of West Virginia by William E. Davies, Speleologist, July 1958
Holliday -Lewis School
"Finished 8th Grade"
Location of School Houses
Location of School Houses
Location of the former Caldwell Schoolhouse, the Caldwell P.H. Church stands in its pace today.
Location of Balm of Gilead School House
Location of Coalbank School House (approximately)
Location of Soloman Springs School House
Location of Holiday-Lewis School House
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