Bowdoin School Houses
Bowdoin School Houses
Like most rural towns in Maine, the town of Bowdoin consisted of 18 school districts first established around 1789. Most districts maintained a school house that neighbors and local families built and kept up. Most schoolhouses were moved from their original locations, often times by oxen team. Some schools were moved to allow more room for play yards, some were moved because of proximity for the students.
Many schoolhouses, after their initial purpose had been served, were put out to bid and repurposed. A few of the school houses were moved to other locations or built into larger structures. The Bowdoin Center School was moved and preserved by the Bowdoin Historical Preservation Committee. Unfortunately over the generations, most of the schools have fallen to disrepair and no longer exist.
Seeking School House pictures
If you have pictures that you would like to have as part of the Bowdoin Historical Archives, please sent information to bowdoinmainehistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
Districts 1 - 4
District #1 - Jacques School House
Circa bef 1858 - 1959
Located on the Augusta Road, Rt. 201, near the intersection of Rt. 138, in Bowdoin, Maine
This school house is not found on the 1858 Atlas, although it was located near the Jaques listed on the map.
The Jacques School House
The Jacques School is still standing in its approximate location, built into a home on the Augusta Road. According to pictures of the interior of the building, the chimney is the original chimney. The school was closed 1959, with the opening of the original Bowdoin Central School.
District #2 - Unknown School House
Circa before 1858 - 1880?
Located near Rocky Ridge orchards on the 1858 map.
1858 on Atlas near present day Rocky Ridge orchards.
1880 Bowdoin Annual Town Report
DISTRICT No. 2.—THOMAS W. SKELTON, Agent.
Census of scholars, 19. Appropriation, $88.43. Summer Term, 11 weeks; Miss Viola E. Rogers, teacher. Whole number attending, 9; average, 8. Winter Term, Mr. J. A. Cone, teacher. School still in session.
1883 not mentioned in any of the Town Reports from this point forward, (none of the Town Reports read, prior to 1880.)
District #3 - Adams School House
Circa 1880 - 1959
Formerly located near the Adams Cemetery on the Augusta Road, Rt. 201 Bowdoin, Maine.
The Adams School House
The Adams School was located on the Augusta Road, Rt. 201, near the Adams cemetery. In 1923, the building was moved about 350 feet from the cemetery, a need for more play space. In 1936, a new steel ceiling was installed and the interior painted. It was closed in 1959, with the opening of the original Bowdoin Central School.
District #4 - Purinton School House
Bef. 1858 - 1927
Information shows on Gardiner Road across from the Carroll William’s Farm.
The Purinton School House
The Purinton School was located on the Adams Road. According to a 2016 Real Estate ad part of the home was “originally a 1900’s school house that was moved to the property then added onto.” 1928~1937 Services were held in this building, possibly became the East Bowdoin Chapel. In 1972 “The house was moved to its present location and was originally the East Bowdoin Chapel.”
2017 part of the former home of the Williams family, Adams Road, Bowdoin.
District 1 - Jacques School
District 2
District 3 - Adams School
District 4 - Purinton School
Districts 5 - 8
District #5 - Unknown School House
Circa 18xx- 19xx
Possibly located in the Haigh Mountain area of Bowdoin, Maine.
1881 District 5 and 6 were combined.
The Districts 5
The only mention of this District is that in 1881 District 5 and 6 were combined. The Annual Reports for 1880, 1883, 1886 there was no mention of this District.
District #6 - Ward School House
Circa 1883 - 1921
Located on former Ward Road, aka Huffs Mill Road, Haigh Road, in East Bowdoin, Maine.
The Ward School House
According to notes, the building was built on a hill and later taken to Bowdoin Center. It was closed in 1921.
District #7 - Lewis Hill School
Circa 18xx- 19xx
Formerly located on the south end of the Lewis Hill Road, Bowdoin, Maine on the part of the old road.
1858 School House noted on the 1858 Town of Bowdoin Atlas.
1880 This District was not included in any Town Annual Reports on or after 1880.
The Districts 7
The only mention of this District is on the 1858 Town of Bowdoin Atlas.
District #8 - Buker School
Circa 18xx- 18xx
Formerly located across from the Buker Homestead on the Lewis Hill Road, Bowdoin, Maine.
The Districts 8
The Buker daughters circa 1880 said that there was a school house across from their house. This District was not included in any Town Annual Reports on or after 1880.
District 5
District 6 - Ward School
District 7 - Lewis Hill School
District 8 - Buker School
Districts 9 - 12
District #9 - Judah Small School
Formerly located on the west side of the Lewis Hill Road in Bowdoin, Maine.
Circa 1880 - 1945
The Judah Small School House
The Judah Small School was named after the man, Judah Small. This school was located on the Lewis Hill Road, across from the current Jim Wagg home. The building had a central door with an arched window and flag pole in the peak. The side of the building had one small window near the front, and a large window toward the back. The chimney was in the back.
District #10 - Carr School
Formerly located northwest of the intersection of the E. Burrough Road and the Meadow Road, in Bowdoin, Maine.
The Carr School House
The Carr School is currently built into the building of the Card family barn on the northeast side of the intersection of the Meadow Road and the Doughty Road. This school was located on the northwest side of this intersection.
District #11 - Bowdoin Center School House
Circa 1878 - 1959
Formerly located northwest of the Bowdoin Center intersection.
The Bowdoin Center School House
The Bowdoin Center was named for its location close to the center of town. It was located after the brook on the Litchfield Road, northwest of Bowdoin Center. This was one of the larger schools in the area. Children from as far away as north of Caesar’s Pond went to this school. The building had two doors with transoms and a central window in the peak. This was one of the last of the one-room schoolhouses closed in 1959, upon the opening of the original Bowdoin Central School. This building was moved around 2005 to the current Town Office complex on Cornish Drive in Bowdoin. The Bowdoin Historical Preservation Committee undertook this move, with a girl scout as the spearhead.
District #12 - Kingdom School House
Before 1858 - 1897*
1858 Sagadahoc County Atlas - Bowdoin Map shows a School House just south of Caesar's Pond. This was presumably the original District 12.
A second location of a school house was on Main Street, just east of the John Small Road. On the Route 125 road layout map, shows this school lot.
The Kingdom School House
After 1898, a new school was built called the West Bowdoin School, although some called it the Kingdom School. It was located southwest of the brook near the intersection of the Store Road and Main Street, Rt. 125. See Below - New West Bowdoin School.
District 9 - Judah Small
District 10 - Carr School
District 11 - Bowdoin Center
District 12 - early school
Districts 13 - 16
District #13 - Starbird School House
Circa 1891 - 1927
Formerly located northwest of the Starbird Corner Road on the Litchfield Road, in Bowdoin, Maine.
The Starbird School House
The Starbird School was closed in 1927. Local students from the area were conveyed to the Bowdoin Center School. The building had one door on the right with a window on the left and a small round window in the peak. Along the right of the building were two windows.
The building was moved to Topsham, restored and built into a private home.
District #14 - Varney School House
Circa before 1858 - 1906
Formerly located at Varney’s Corner on the road to Litchfield, between a brook and the Academy Road, in Bowdoin, Maine.
The Varney School House
The Varney School closed near the turn of the century and “fell apart in an attempt to move it", around 1906.
District #15 - Wood School House
Circa 1800s - 1940
Formerly located near the middle of the Wood School Road in Bowdoin, Maine.
The Wood School House
The Wood School was named because of its placement “in the woods”. The Wood School House was built in amongst a maple grove. The trees are still standing on the land now. Children would get water from the spring north of the school. The spring was found in the 2000s still will the boards in existence. The Wood School had a central door with a window to the right, as well as a flag pole in the peak. The side of the building had two windows, with a chimney in the back. The building had a shed, and the maple trees surrounded the school yard. The school was moved from the base of the Wood School Road, to the top where the maple grove is. It closed in 1940.
District #16 - Wheeler School House
Circa bef 1858 - 1935
Formerly located northwest of the intersection of the West Road and the Magee Road, in Bowdoin, Maine.
1858 Atlas shows a school house on the southwest side of the intersection with the Wheeler Road.
The Wheeler School House
The Wheeler School was built on a little knoll at the base of the Wheeler Road in Northwest Bowdoin. Children from the West Road neighborhood, attended the school until it closed in 1935. The building had a central door with a window to the left, an arched window and a flag pole in the peak. The south side of the building had two windows, with a chimney in the back. The building had a wood shed, coat room and a small building for bathrooms.
The building was bought for a bid of $126 to be used for storage. The land was reverted back to the family. After the building had deteriorated it was torn down. The final remnants of the school were burned in 1983.
District 13 - Starbird School
District 14 - Varney School
District 15 - Wood School
District 16 - Wheeler School
Districts 17 - 18 and Secondary Locations
District #17 - West Bowdoin School House - The 'Red' School
Circa 18xx-1898
Currently located at the Bernier farm gravel pit entrance on the West Road/Kettlebottom Road, in Bowdoin, Maine.
2020 currently still standing as a storage shed
The Red School House
The Red School House located on the West Road in Bowdoin, near the Kettlebottom gravel pit. The school house was painted red and served as a high school in Bowdoin in the 1880s. In 1898 this school house was replaced by the West Bowdoin School on Main Street near the Store Road.
District #18 - Borough School House - Denham School
Circa bef 1858 - 1928
Formerly located north of the W. Burrough Road, in Bowdoin, Maine.
The Borough School House
The Borough School was located on the W. Burrough Road, near the intersection of the McIvers Farm Road. In the 2010s the deteriorated building was burned.
The New West Bowdoin School House (Kingdom School)
Circa 1898 - 1959
The West Bowdoin School House
See the Kingdom School.
This new school was southwest of the brook near the intersection of the Store Road and Main Street, Rt. 125. In 1898, the Red School, District 17 and the Kingdom School was combined to make the West Bowdoin School. Both West Bowdoin School and Kingdom School names were continued to be used interchangeably. The school building was moved across from the Bing Moore Road. That building is currently deteriorated and is in ruins in the field.
1898 Replaced the Red School - District 17 and the Kingdom School
1959 One of the last four school houses to close upon the opening of the Bowdoin Central School
The Bowdoin High School at Bowdoin Center
Circa 1880s
The Bowdoin High School at Bowdoin Center
“The building, now known as the Bowdoin Center Baptist Church has had a varied usage. During the 1880’s it was used some years as the Bowdoin High School. For short periods of time it was the Quaker’s Meeting House, the Good Templar’s Lodge and the home of the Sagadahoc Grange. In 1897 the property was deeded to the Baptist Society of Bowdoin and has remained in their ownership.” Pictorial History of Bowdoin, Maine 1788-1988 Bicentennial
District 17 - West Bowdoin 'Red' School - High School
District 18 - Borough School
Kingdom School
new West Bowdoin School/Kingdom
High School and Modern Day Schools
Original Bowdoin Central School
Circa 1959-2002
Original Bowdoin Central School
"In 1959, the era of Bowdoin’s many one-room school houses came to an end. One school was established, and Bowdoin Central School opened its doors to 157 students in grades K-6. In naming the school, the word, “Central” had significant meaning. The original location of the school was exactly that, the crossroads of the community, the central location." BCS website
Bowdoin Central School - current
2002-present
Bowdoin Central School
"In 2002, the school’s location changed, but the word “Central” continues to carry meaning as its role in the community is such an integral part. Nestled into the sixty-five acres of rolling fields and a wooded backdrop, the school offers students and community members space for outdoor activities such as baseball, soccer or even snowshoeing across the fields and forests on a snowy winter’s day. The community is encouraged to use the building as well, providing a place for many activities such as scouts, recreational sports, and voting to name just a few.
Today, Bowdoin Central School enrolls a little over two hundred students with an average classroom size of 18 students. The school has approximately 40 staff members including classroom teachers, specialists and special education teachers, as well as various support staff. There is a small, but active parent teacher club, which meets in the school’s library the third Wednesday of every month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Interested community members are always welcome!" BCS website
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