Corolla in Currituck County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Corolla Schoolhouse
Establishing the First Unified Corolla School
The Corolla Schoolhouse was built circa 1890 by residents Sol Sanderlin and Val Twiford and established as the first unified Corolla school in 1905. The County's one-room schoolhouse accepted children of all grade levels and provided a teacher, textbooks and standardized grading.
Students from the nearby villages of Wash Woods, Seagull and Penny's Hill were bused down the beach. In winter, the schoolhouse was heated by a big coal stove, and each morning the bus driver would light the coals before he began his route so the school was warm and cozy upon the children's arrival.
Reportedly, 60 children attended the school in 1944, but, after the war in 1945, the number of students dwindled as families moved out of Corolla Village, and Currituck County closed the school due to lack of students.
After the schoolhouse closed, boys for the Corolla Academy summer school held at the Whalehead Club from 1959 to 1963 used the space as a recreation hall. Once the Academy closed, the schoolhouse sat empty for many years until the 1970s, when it served as a private vacation home.
Restoration
In 1999, Doug and Sharon Twiddy purchased the schoolhouse and began restoration. The original materials were preserved in order to maintain authenticity. If replacement parts were necessary, similar materials were well-researched and sought after in order to achieve an accurate representation of the original schoolhouse.
The original chalkboard, windows, cupboards and pine floors in the main room were preserved. Desks used in the old Colington Schoolhouse were donated.
In 2002, the schoolhouse began housing educational exhibits focusing on the history of Corolla Village. In 2004, the schoolhouse became home to the Corolla Wild Horse Museum.
Corolla Schoolhouse Timeline
Circa 1890 The Corolla Schoolhouse was built.
1905 The Corolla School was established by the Currituck County School System as the first unified Corolla School.
1940 A rear board-and-batten extension was added to the south end of the building to accommodate more students and a lunchroom.
1945 After the war, the number of students dwindled as families moved out of Corolla in search of jobs.
1958 Due to lack of students, Currituck County closed the school.
1959-1963 Boys attending Corolla Academy, a summer school held at the Whalehead Club, set up a pool table and used the space as a recreation hall.
1970s The building served as a private vacation home.
1999-2000 Doug and Sharon Twiddy purchased and restored the building. It was used as an office space.
2002 The Twiddys began using the schoolhouse to display educational exhibits, focusing on the history of Corolla Village.
2004 The space was transformed into the Corolla Wild Horse Museum, and interactive educational exhibit on the areas wild horses.
(captions)
(lower left) School children circa 1900
(lower center) School children
(lower right) Local school boys in front of schoolhouse, 1949
Photos courtesy of Outer Banks Conservationists
Erected by Currituck County Historical and Cultural Landmark Project.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
Location. 36° 22.687′ N, 75° 49.935′ W. Marker is in Corolla, North Carolina, in Currituck County. Marker is at the intersection of Corolla Village Road and Schoolhouse Lane, on the left when traveling south on Corolla Village Road. The marker is located west of Water's Edge Village School in historic Corolla Village. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1126 Schoolhouse Ln, Corolla NC 27927, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this

Photographed By Larry Gertner
4. Corolla Schoolhouse History
Twiddy & Company Realtors website entry
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Also see . . . Water's Edge Village School. School website:
A free, K-6 public charter school in Corolla, NC. (Submitted on August 30, 2014.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 338 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 29, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. submitted on June 10, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.