Washington School - Park City, Utah - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The Park City mine's attracted great numbers of permanent residents in the late nineteenth century, school enrollment correspondingly increased. Local elementary students numbered 100 in 1885, 162 in 1886, and climbed to 194 by 1888. The Trustees of School District No. 12 recongnized the urgency of building new schools, but debated whether one or several facilities would be advisable. It was resolved that schools should follow the political ward divisions which divided upper and lower Park Avenue. Thus three local schools were built in the 1880s and 1890s; the Washington School in 1889, the Jefferson School in 1891, and the Lincoln school in 1895.

The Washington School was at a cost of $13,000. In contrast with the brick used for other Park City schools, this structure was built of hammered limestone quarried at Peoa, Utah. Other distinctive features were the bell tower topped by a flagpole, and the dormer windows of pediment shape. Because of the slope of this site, the interior was built in split level, rising to a height of two full stories at the main elevation and one and one-half at the rear.

The building withstood the fire of 1898, which levelled much of this part of Park City. The school served Park City's educational needs until 1931, when it was closed because of declining enrollments. The school and lot were listed for sale, and purchased by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1936 for $200. It was used by used by the V.F.W. for dances and social events until the 1950s, when it was vacated. After many years of abandonment, the building's ownership changed hands in the early 1980s, and extensive renovation efforts began.

Significant for its architectural detailing and role in the history of Park City's public education, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Group that erected the marker: Park City Centennial Commission Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 541 Park Ave. Park City, Utah United States URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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