West School
Why it's listed
West School is a 2½-story brick school building in Crooksville, Ohio, built in 1904. Ell-shaped in plan, it rests on a brick foundation and is recognized by a square bell tower set in the angle of the two wings. The gable-roofed wings have windows grouped in threes and trimmed with smooth-dressed stone, and a beveled stone beltcourse circles the building. The building sits on a hill at the west edge of the village, near the cemetery. It was built during Crooksville's first planned educational expansion, when new potteries were drawing a rapidly growing population. Its counterpart, East School, has since been heavily altered, which leaves West School as the only intact early 20th century building from that period. It was built under superintendent G. W. DeLong and served as a school for twenty-five years, briefly as a high school. After the 1920s oil boom paid for newer facilities, it was sold in 1929 to the Knights of Pythias, who used it as a hall until 1978.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents West School as the only intact vestige of early 20th century Crooksville. It was built during the village's first planned educational expansion, as potteries drew a growing population. It served as a school until 1929, and for a time in the early 'teens as a high school.
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 80003207, listed April 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off OH 93, Crooksville |
|---|---|
| County | Perry County |
| Listed | April 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003207 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 box checked; specific date 1904 |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and in fair condition. It was partially remodeled for apartments, and the Knights of Pythias used it as a lodge hall until 1978. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.77095, -82.10299 (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 80003207.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16238549
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.