Sodom Schoolhouse
Also known as: Eight-cornered Schoolhouse; Chillisquaque Schoolhouse
Why it's listed
Sodom Schoolhouse is a single-story octagonal limestone building on Pennsylvania Route 45 in West Chillisquaque Township, Northumberland County. Its eight-sided plan, with a central roof chimney and a window in seven of the walls, let the room gain maximum sunlight. Several construction dates have been proposed, and the most generally accepted is 1835, based on county survey records. The school served a three-mile radius and enrolled 40 to 60 students in a four-month winter term. Teachers experimented with methods, such as setting geography lessons to music. The building also served as a Methodist church until 1858 and as a polling place in the later nineteenth century. It is regarded as an unusual survivor of early Pennsylvania architecture and a clear record of the Scotch-Irish influence in the region. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission took ownership in 1968 after restoration.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is one of several octagonal schoolhouses in Pennsylvania and the only one of this design in the north central region of the state. Its eight-sided plan is attributed to Scotch-Irish influence in the area. It is presented as a reminder of early rural education in the upper Susquehanna Valley.
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 74001799, listed February 12, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Montandon on PA 45, Montandon |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | February 12, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001799 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Octagonal; the document describes it as an old Scotch type |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored between 1935 and 1961 and owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission from 1968 |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 40.96592, -76.82703 (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 74001799.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15278357
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.