Centerville Schoolhouse
Also known as: Old Centerville School
Why it's listed
Set in scenic Butte Creek Canyon about 13 miles northeast of Chico, this one-room schoolhouse was built in 1894 to replace the community's first public school, opened in December 1871. The shiplap building measured 20 by 40 feet with a front porch, and a belfry still holds its old pull-rope bell. Later changes included extended porches, a restroom building in 1935, and a kitchenette and cloak room in 1945. Centerville grew from gold-rush settlements along Butte Creek, and the school became the center of community life, hosting dances, musicals, student programs, political rallies and elections. Classes ended in 1966 after school unification. A local recreation and historical association formed in 1968 to save the building from demolition and now uses it for meetings, an annual arts and crafts show, and local history projects. It was the only public building of its period in the vicinity.
Significance in brief: The schoolhouse replaced the area's first public school of 1871 and served as the social, political and cultural hub of the former gold-mining community. It was the only public building of its period in the vicinity. A local association acquired it to preserve it from demolition and to interpret the area's pioneer history.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000219, listed March 24, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2 mi. NE of Paradise on Humbug Rd., Paradise |
|---|---|
| County | Butte County |
| Listed | March 24, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000219 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1894) |
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and altered; owned by a local recreation and historical association, used as a park, museum and educational site, with preservation work noted and a museum building planned adjacent. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.78803, -121.65571 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000219.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133259312
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.