Lorida in Highlands County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Lorida School House
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, July 13, 2023
1. The Lorida School House Marker
Inscription.
The Lorida School House. . The first school house in the Lorida community, the Sunnyland School, was built on this site in 1925. A 1933 hurricane destroyed the school, and the Civilian Conservation Corps rebuilt it using the original plans and identical materials. The school reopened from April 1934 until early 1956 for grades one through eight, and later kindergarten. The Rev. Joseph Reish was the principal and his wife, Margaret, was a teacher. The school term was six months long with four teachers and about 80 students. During the Great Depression, an outdoor community canning kitchen was built behind the school house. This four-room vernacular school house was built of cedar and pine on a brick pier foundation. It exhibits a low-pitched hip roof with exposed clipped rafter ends, and was covered with diamond-shaped, tin shingles. The floors are varnished wood with a recessed front entrance. The building has remained essentially unchanged. The community restored the school house in 1976 as a project for the United States Bicentennial. Over the years, it served as a place for the community to gather for a variety of purposes and represents one of the few remaining rural school houses in Florida. , A Florida Heritage Site
The first school house in the Lorida community, the Sunnyland School, was built on this site in 1925. A 1933 hurricane destroyed the school, and the Civilian Conservation Corps rebuilt it using the original plans and identical materials. The school reopened from April 1934 until early 1956 for grades one through eight, and later kindergarten. The Rev. Joseph Reish was the principal and his wife, Margaret, was a teacher. The school term was six months long with four teachers and about 80 students. During the Great Depression, an outdoor community canning kitchen was built behind the school house. This four-room vernacular school house was built of cedar and pine on a brick pier foundation. It exhibits a low-pitched hip roof with exposed clipped rafter ends, and was covered with diamond-shaped, tin shingles. The floors are varnished wood with a recessed front entrance. The building has remained essentially unchanged. The community restored the school house in 1976 as a project for the United States Bicentennial. Over the years, it served as a place for the community to gather for a variety of purposes and represents one of the few remaining rural school houses in Florida.
A Florida Heritage Site
Erected 2022 by The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners, Sebring Historical Society,
Click or scan to see this page online
Avon Park Historical Society, The Florida District of Wesleyan Church, Inc., and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-1193.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 27° 26.46′ N, 81° 14.914′ W. Marker is in Lorida, Florida, in Highlands County. Marker is at the intersection of Blessings Avenue and U.S. 98, on the right when traveling east on Blessings Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lorida FL 33857, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Lorida, Florida. (Submitted on July 27, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.)
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, July 13, 2023
2. The Lorida School House Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 81 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 27, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
