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 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

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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, 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. It 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.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Florida.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States

Photographed by Tim Fillmon, July 13, 2023

2. The Lorida School House Marker

of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Hendricks Field Memorial Park (approx. 6.3 miles away); Combat Veterans (approx. 10.6 miles away); Lest We Not Forget (approx. 10.6 miles away); Medal of Honor (approx. 10.6 miles away); The U.S.S. Highlands (APA 119) (approx. 12.1 miles away); The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot (approx. 12.3 miles away); 1927 Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot (approx. 12.3 miles away); Lastinger Memorial Park (approx. 12.3 miles away).

Also see . . . Lorida, Florida. (Submitted on July 27, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.)

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 818 times since then and 108 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 27, 2023, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.