Dover in Kent County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Octagonal Schoolhouse
Photographed By Pete Skillman, March 25, 2024
1. Octagonal Schoolhouse Marker
Inscription.
Octagonal Schoolhouse. . Rooted in the Free School Act of 1829, the Octagonal Schoolhouse, built in 1836, served as the District No. 12 school in Kent County until its closure in 1930, when it became a community center. The building's construction consisted of undressed stone, stuccoed and whitewashed, with eight sides of equal dimension and a pyramidal shingled roof. Children sat in desks placed in two circles, back to back, the outer one for the boys and the inner one for the girls, with the school master seated in the center. The building was acquired by the State of Delaware in 1967 and in 1971 was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Rooted in the Free School Act of 1829, the Octagonal Schoolhouse, built in 1836, served as the District No. 12 school in Kent County until its closure in 1930, when it became a community center. The building's construction consisted of undressed stone, stuccoed and whitewashed, with eight sides of equal dimension and a pyramidal shingled roof. Children sat in desks placed in two circles, back to back, the outer one for the boys and the inner one for the girls, with the school master seated in the center. The building was acquired by the State of Delaware in 1967 and in 1971 was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected 2021 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number KC-40.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. In addition, it is included in the Delaware Public Archives series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1836.
Location. 39° 11.749′ N, 75° 28.352′ W. Marker is in Dover, Delaware, in Kent County. Marker can be reached from Bayside Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6938 Bayside Dr, Dover DE 19901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
2. Octagonal Schoolhouse Marker wide view with schoolhouse visible
Credits. This page was last revised on April 12, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 25, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 68 times since then. Last updated on April 12, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. Photos:1, 2. submitted on March 25, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
