Parkesburg School
Why it's listed
Built of brick on a hill above Parkesburg, the two-story school with a dual-pitched hip roof was completed in 1899-1900 after a fire destroyed the earlier public school in June 1898. R. Preston Shoemaker held the building contract, and a bond issue of twenty thousand dollars funded it. A two-story Colonial Revival addition followed in 1916, designed by Clyde Adams. The school served as the community's main educational facility, and from 1912 it housed all grade levels, including a high school. Students from outside the borough also attended during the period before the Great Depression. Its hilltop position makes it a prominent landmark, and the 72-step concrete staircase from Main Street is a contributing structure. The school closed in 1980 and has been vacant since then.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school was the community's main public school for decades, serving as the only public school in Parkesburg from 1900 until 1956 and as a high school for much of that time. Its hilltop siting makes it a visual landmark, and it is described as the largest and most elaborate public school built in the borough before 1956.
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 95000524, listed April 27, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 360 Strasburg Ave., Parkesburg |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | April 27, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000524 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Shoemaker, R. Preston (Builder); Adams, Clyde (Architect of 1916 addition); Elliott, W. J. (Builder of 1916 addition) |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance Revival; Colonial Revival (addition) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant after the Octorara Area School District closed the school in 1980; the document also describes plans for conversion to elderly apartments. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 39.96116, -75.92016 (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 95000524.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7138452
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.