District School No. 9
Also known as: Old Stone Schoolhouse
Why it's listed
District School No. 9 is a small, one-story stone schoolhouse on Route 17A south of Goshen, in Orange County, New York. Measuring about 22 by 32 feet, it is built of locally quarried stone, with coursed ashlar on three sides and rubble on the south end, which was extended by five feet to hold bathrooms. Brick frames the door and windows, and nine-over-six sash windows predominate. Inside are a single classroom, a storage room and two washrooms, still furnished with nineteenth-century desks, blackboards and a cast-iron stove. The exact construction date is unknown, though comparison with similar schools suggests 1820 to 1850. It served nearby farming communities, including workers tied to a milk company, until local taxpayers voted to close it in 1938. A DAR chapter bought it in 1939 and uses it as a museum and headquarters. Its rural setting and few alterations make it a rare surviving stone country school in the county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare, intact example of an early nineteenth century one-room rural school built in the local vernacular stone tradition. It keeps its original plan, brick door and window framing, and nineteenth-century furnishings. It also reflects local rural education, serving as a school until 1938.
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 88001451, listed September 15, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 17A, Goshen |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | September 15, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001451 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Circa 1820-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | No Style (vernacular rural schoolhouse) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and preserved by the Daughters of the American Revolution chapter that bought it in 1939; it serves as a museum and chapter headquarters. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.37646, -74.34930 (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 88001451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5283377
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.