Conicville School

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The first school in what is now Conicville opened in 1873. It was a one room school that stood in the middle of the community which was then called Cabin Hill.

It was replaced by a two room school within 10 years. That structure was located on the site of the current school building on the south end of the community.

By 1911, the population of the area was so large, a bigger school was needed. The former building was demolished and a new, state designed, school was constructed. This structure still stands.

This 1911 school was one of the larger rural schools in the area and reflects prosperity of the community. It was named the Conicville School from the time of its opening.

A large auditorium was included in the school’s design. School events including graduations, plays, and recitals were held here. Community groups, including a school league, also held fundraisers and meetings in the school. This use meant the school also served as a type of community center.

Originally the school housed a primary and high school. Students attended grades 1-7 for free, but paid a tuition to complete upper grades. Children from other small communities that did not have a High School, and that could afford the tuition, would have also attended. Many of these individuals would have boarded with local families or regularly travel.

With the opening of new high schools in each of the county’s towns in the 1930s, Conicville School became a primary school housing grades 1-7. During this period the introduction of school buses to the county allowed for the closing of smaller schools in other areas. Many of the students from the region surrounding Conicville were transferred to its school as part of a consolidation effort.

In 1959 the Conicville School was closed following another round of consolidation. At the time the school was considered out of date and was in disrepair. Students were transferred to a newer school in Columbia Furnace.

Since that time the former school building has served in various capacities as a commercial and residential space, including as home for a gift shop and later t-shirt business in the 1990s and early 2000s.