Historically Speaking ....

THE FIRST & SECOND CAMP DENNISON SCHOOLS

The following is an excerpt from the “History of Camp Dennison”:

“The first school house was a log building on the south side of Kugler Mill Rd (Galbraith Rd.), ½ mile east of Buckingham Rd. Its water was supplied by a spring which is still there. Miss Jerusha Jones taught here; we do not know how long the school existed. This information was obtained from Mrs. Jessie Price Lytle, whose father, William Price (Prisch) attended there.

The next building (pictured above) used as a school was the brick building on Lincoln Road at the Little Miami Railroad, southeast. Mr. Leavin Ready was a teacher in this school. It is now used as a residence and owned by the Knicely (now Howell) family.”

The log building on Kugler Road no longer exists. The brick schoolhouse on Lincoln and Clement Rds. now has siding and is not easily recognized as a schoolhouse. It faces the Little Miami Bike & Hiking trail, which was previously the Little Miami Railroad. Area children used the schoolhouse until the beginning of the Civil War in 1861. Landowners living in the area (which then was called Little Germany or Big Bottom) leased their lands to the Government for use as a training area for Union soldiers. Most families moved away during the Civil War years.

The following is an excerpt from General Jacob D. Cox, “Reminiscences of the Civil War”. Cox was dispatched by General McClellan to establish the training camp and described the activity at Camp Dennison in April 1861. “my own headquarters were in a little brick schoolhouse of one story, which stood on the east side of the track close to the railway…my only staff officer was an aide-de-camp…he slept on the floor in one of the little aisles between the pupils’ seats.” Obviously the school received some use, but not as a school during the War years.

After the Civil War ended in 1865 new homes were built, many with lumber from the camp barracks. Families began moving back to the area and in 1870 children attended a new 2-story brick schoolhouse on Montauk Rd. (now Glendale-Milford Rd). That same year (1870) the US Government approved a post office for the area. The area was now named “Grand Valley” and there were 335 residents.

Sources:

Sloan, Mary Rahn History of Camp Dennison, 1956

Starr, Stephen Z. Camp Dennison 1861-1865 (original text published in Cincinnati Historical Society Bulletin, July 1961)

National Archives and Records Administration, Post Office Document dated 3/15/1870

THE THIRD CAMP DENNISON SCHOOL

"First Two Story Brick Schoolhouse"

The year was 1863, and construction began in the fall on what was to be the first two story brick schoolhouse in the Midwest.

Located on Route 126, the school was designed in a cross construction pattern with gables containing Italianate style bracketing at the corners. The building was not used as a school until 1870, due to the Civil War.  It was the third building to be used as a school in the area.  It housed students up to the eighth grade.

The school had two floors with a winding staircase that separated them.  The first level had two rooms with a hallway entrance leading to the stairs. The second floor was used in the early years for the teaching of black children.  Part of the upper floor was an auditorium used for assemblies and meetings.

In 1939, the building was remodeled converting from stove heat to hot water heat.  Additionally, restrooms and water fountains were added.  Enlargement of the windows provided extra sunlight for the school.

The building was used as a school until 1952, when the last class graduated.  It was sold to the Ohio Gravel Company that same year. In 1962, it was converted into a restaurant facility.  If you visit the Schoolhouse Restaurant, you will be dining in the original schoolhouse.

SIXTEEN MILE SCHOOL

"Hamilton County's Last Functioning One-Room School"

Sixteen Mile School lies on the east side Montgomery Road, 16 miles from the Cincinnati Courthouse, north of Kemper Road.  John Short gave three-fourths of an acre in 1852 for the school and his son added one-half acre in 1878.  Except for the time the property was owned by the Sixteen Mile School Board, it has remained in the same family.  The original school was a log cabin, which was replaced in 1879 by the current brick structure.

In 1931, a second building was added, which expanded the size from 30 to about 65 students.  In late 1949, the County Board of Education ordered the consolidation of six school districts, including the Sixteen Mile School, into the Sycamore School District.  In January 1952, an article was published in the Cincinnati Enquirer stating that "History To Claim County's Last One-Room Institution."  It noted that the main building housed the sixth through eighth grades and the frame structure was used for the younger grades.  The toilets were outside and drinking water came from a pump in the schoolyard. The coal stove was no longer used as heat was provided by a furnace.  Lunches were brought from home.

The school stopped being used as a school in 1952 when the new Montgomery School was completed and absorbed the students of the Sixteen Mile School.  In 1966 the Meier family purchased the school and property and the frame building was remodeled for use as a nursery school in 1967.  Audrey Meier, a descendent of the Short family, now owns the school and lives in an adjacent house.

REMINGTON RURAL SCHOOL

PRIVATE  

The Rural Remington Schoolhouse is 100' beyond the intersection of State Rt. 126 and Loveland-Madeira Road.  The school was used by the Knights of Columbus for many years, but is once again serving as a schoolhouse and now occupied by the Springs Montessori School.

The one room schoolhouse is 116 years old, having been built in 1879 on lots donated by the Humphrey family.  The school served grades 1-8 and all grades were taught in the one room by the same teacher.  The school was heated with a pot belly stove and drinking water came from a well outside the property.

The school expanded to 2 rooms in 1939 and at that time became part of the Indian Hill School District.  The school served the area until 1950 when it closed and students were bused to Indian Hill Schools.

The front of the schoolhouse has undergone many renovations but if you drive by and look at the side of the school you can see the beautiful 12 over 12 paned hung windows that are original to the school building.  The Remington Rural School is located at 9429 Loveland-Madeira Road.

THE KANSAS DISTRICT SCHOOL

(Leming Property)

The Kansas District School was originally a log cabin on Lebanon Road across from Lindenhall Drive.  The school was built in 1863 on land donated by a civil war veteran, Mr. Rowan.  This log cabin school remained in existence until 1883 when it burned as a result of boys wrestling and knocking over the pot-bellied stove.  It was rebuilt in 1884 at the same location, and part of the old foundation and old well can still be seen on the property.

In the 1910s the school educated grades one through eight.  Enrollment was 12 to 20 students and they were taught by one teacher.  The school was closed in 1932 and abandoned.  The property was purchased at auction in 1938 by Jay Leming who converted the school building into a private residence.  Mr. Leming was quoted as saying "This place is still all original brick, all around.  It was built with three layers of brick.  The mortar in the bricks is just like the day they mixed it.  It's tough."  He also claims that a saloon, Blazing Stump Saloon, was next door to the school.  One day a drunk wandered over from the saloon waving a pistol.  Shortly after that episode the saloon was closed.  This incident apparently led to a state law requiring that no saloon could be located within 500 feet of a school.

In 1991 Symmes Township purchased 46 acres of property adjacent to the school for a Township Park.  Mr. Leming has bequeathed the schoolhouse to the Township.  Next time you entered the Symmes Township Park take notice of the Kansas Schoolhouse which is located to the right of the entrance.