Independent School District No. 2 Building
Also known as: Pleasant Hill School
Why it's listed
Pleasant Hill School is a one-story, one-room brick schoolhouse beside State Route 213 in Island Creek Township, near Steubenville. Built around 1865, it rests on a sandstone foundation with a cut stone water table and common bond brick walls. Its gable roof has small cornice returns, and slate on the roof outlines the date 1880, when a school district bought the land. Six-over-six double-hung windows, a simple Greek Revival manner and an interior with original wainscoting and a pressed metal ceiling remain. The bell tower has been removed and one window was converted to a doorway early on. A schoolhouse is first mentioned here in 1866, when a Presbyterian congregation met in it. The school served until 1950. It is believed to be the oldest surviving school building in Jefferson County and one of only two intact one-room schoolhouses there. Its brick construction is uncommon, because most rural schools of the era were frame.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is likely the oldest surviving school building in Jefferson County and one of only two intact one-room schoolhouses there. It is a rare brick example, since most such schools were frame, and shows modest Greek Revival styling. It represents the role of rural country schools in local education and youth development.
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 86001569, listed July 10, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 64520 OH 213, Steubenville |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | July 10, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- (specific date ca. 1865) |
| Architectural style | Modest Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Sold to a private firm in 1950, which has maintained its structural condition. The form lists its status as unoccupied with work in progress, and its condition as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.41817, -80.65691 (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 86001569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138379007
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.