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Segregated School House

The Sykesville Segregated Schoolhouse is a labor of love as well as a work in progress, being restored to its 1916 appearance. It was managed by local community trustees, for children of the surrounding black community from both sides of the Patapsco River during the days of segregation. Between July 1939 and late 1981 the building served as a residence with its main floor divided into four rooms. Since1982, the building was repeatedly slated for demolition but was saved each time by the efforts of local residents. By the mid-1990’s, with support from the Town of Sykesville, the project was in line to receive state restoration seed grants. However, their implementation was delayed while deeds and other issues were resolved. Millennium celebrations provided a major boost in the effort to save the Segregated Schoolhouse. The White House Millennium Council, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, listed the Schoolhouse as a Save America’s Treasures Project, and the Maryland Commission for Celebration 2000 selected it as a statewide Treasure of the Month. The same year the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage selected the Sykesville Schoolhouse as the county and statewide beneficiary project for the year.

Restoration

Future projects include installing electricity, heat and air conditioning, and refinishing the interior surfaces. Later phases will include the addition of facilities like storage, bathrooms and meeting the landscape demands of our hillside location. This work will be completed as financial support for the Segregated Schoolhouse becomes available. Our goal is to open the site on a regular basis once the basic construction work is complete. The Segregated Schoolhouse is being restored in phases based on structural needs and available budget. Our first phase of work, which is nearing completion, contains the most noticeable work on the building making it weather tight, secure and removing some alterations made to convert the school to a residence. Even though construction is not complete, we are always happy to open for special events, tours and welcome any opportunity for the community to check on our progress.

Goals

Since the beginning of the effort to save the Schoolhouse, the objective has been to preserve the site by creating a museum and community center. Initially, the effort was under taken by members of the Schoolhouse Road community. As the project developed, the Town of Sykesville offered support in meeting these goals. A volunteer, non-profit entity, the Sykesville Development Corporation (SDC) was created to oversee and direct the project. The SDC’s mission is to preserve the Schoolhouse by telling the story of the building’s past and ensuring its role in the community’s future.