Buhach Grammar School
Also known as: Buhach Preschool
Why it's listed
Built in 1907 near Merced, this small one-story schoolhouse served the farming community of Buhach, a colony settled largely by Portuguese immigrants who came directly from Portugal, the Azores and the East Coast. The colony grew out of the Buhach Plantation, begun in 1871 to grow pyrethrum and wine grapes, and out of land sales by the Merced Land and Fruit Company. The school is wood frame with clapboard siding on a concrete foundation, which is unusual for Mission Revival, a style more often stuccoed. A hip roof, a curvilinear espadana front, a quatrefoil with spindle work and an arched entry define its look. Inside, stained pine wainscoting, plaster walls and some original slate blackboards remain. The school closed after the Buhach district merged with the McSwain district in 1950, was later used to store sweet potatoes, and was restored as a preschool in 1981. It is nearly the last remaining structure of the former colony.
Significance in brief: The school served Buhach, an agricultural colony settled largely by Portuguese immigrants and promoted by the Merced Land and Fruit Company. It is a notable example of early 20th-century rural school design in the Mission Revival style, with its curvilinear espadana parapet. It is practically the only surviving structure of one of Merced County's largest ethnic enclaves.
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 83001206, listed April 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2606 N. Buhach Rd., Merced |
|---|---|
| County | Merced County |
| Listed | April 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001206 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | William Bedesen, Surveyor - County of Merced |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival |
| Areas of significance | Education, European, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition. It was purchased in 1981 and restored for use as a preschool after earlier use for sweet potato storage. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 37.32427, -120.57862 (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 83001206.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14681659
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.