School No. 7
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
School No. 7 is a one-story elementary school on East Lake Shore Drive in Dunkirk, New York. Designed around 1916-19 by architect Edgar Eugene Joralemon and built around 1920-21 by E.J. Baily, it has a U-shaped plan of load-bearing hollow tile faced with dark red brick, arranged around an enclosed courtyard. Light gray limestone brackets, lintels and coping provide restrained Tudor-inspired decoration, and a rear auditorium/gymnasium has Flemish-inspired gables. A boiler room was added in the 1930s. The school is significant as an early Northeastern example of the one-story school type, with classrooms lit from one side, an exit beside every classroom pair, and specialty rooms such as a kindergarten, library, shop and home economics space. Educator William G. Bruce cited it as a model in 1925. Its interior retains original spatial layout and woodwork, though the original windows were replaced in 1978. The building is listed as vacant.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a largely intact, very early example in the Northeast of the one-story school type that became widespread in the 1920s. It embodies nine characteristics of early twentieth century school design, including a U-shaped plan, flat roof, natural lighting, specialty spaces and fire safety features. It was cited as a model in William G. Bruce's 1925 Grade School Buildings, Book II.
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 92000068, listed March 5, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of E. Lake Shore Dr. and N. Serval St., Dunkirk |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | March 5, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000068 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1920-21; 1930s |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Edgar Eugene Joralemon; Builder: E.J. Baily |
| Architectural style | Education; School (Tudor-inspired limestone trim and Flemish-inspired gable ends noted in the description) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant; the description notes minor water damage to some plaster ceilings from recent roof leaks. |
| Acreage | 6.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.49621, -79.31649 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 92000068.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7432291
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.