East Waterford School
Also known as: East Waterford School District 156
Why it's listed
East Waterford School is a one-room schoolhouse on the western slope of the Illinois River Valley, near Lewistown in Fulton County, Illinois. It is a small, front-gabled, one-story building of red hard-pressed brick veneer over a balloon frame. A classroom of about 28 by 26 feet occupies the main block, and a small east vestibule holds a cloakroom and basement stairs. Although the design is vernacular, it includes decorative touches: rock-faced brick forms the water table and surrounds the arched door and window openings. The school served District 156 and was altered around 1917 when a bank of six windows replaced three on the south wall. A brick porch was added later and removed in 1987-1988. The State acquired the half-acre lot in the early 1960s, and Dickson Mounds Museum now maintains it and uses it for educational programs. It was listed for its architecture as a representative one-room schoolhouse, with a storm shelter and several concrete pads on the grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant under Criterion C as a well-preserved example of a vernacular one-room schoolhouse. It has decorative brick detail, including rock-faced brick at the water table and arched openings, and framing typical of its era. The school also reflects the history of rural public education in Fulton County.
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 09000897, listed November 10, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. N. Dickson Mounds Rd. and the E. Prairie Rd., Lewistown |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | November 10, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000897 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Other: one-room schoolhouse (vernacular design) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as a museum exhibition hall and maintained by Dickson Mounds Museum, which uses it for educational programming; the State acquired the property in the early 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.35007, -90.11537 (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 09000897.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22034001
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.