National Register of Historic Places

Dixie Schoolhouse

San Rafael, Marin County, California
Listed
December 26, 1972
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
72000236

About this property

The Dixie Schoolhouse is a historic one-room schoolhouse located in San Rafael, Marin County, Northern California. It was built in 1864, in the Victorian Italianate style. The school was the project of Irish immigrant and Marin County pioneer James S. Miller (1812–1890). A few traditions attempt to explain why Miller selected the name "Dixie", a nickname for the Southern United States. Some say the schoolhouse was built by Southern carpenters, while others believe the name honors Mary Dixie, a local Indian woman; still others believe that "Dixie" is derived from the French word for "ten". The school was in use for classes from 1864 until 1958. The Dixie School District (now the Miller Creek Elementary School District) got its name from this first school. The school district changed its name in 2020 after considering the association with the 11 states in the South that seceded from the U.S. to form the Confederacy. In June 1971, the schoolhouse was moved to its current location, near Miller Creek Middle School, also in San Rafael. It was restored and renovated prior to being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The school is currently preserved by the Old Dixie School Foundation, and is open to the public for visits on the first Sunday of every month from 2-4 P.M. National Register of Historic Places listings in Marin County, California Media related to Dixie Schoolhouse (San Rafael, California) at Wikimedia Commons

Location

2255 Las Gallinas Ave.
San Rafael, Marin County, California
38.02915, -122.54647

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Marin County Civic Center
Industrial
2.2 mi
Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District
Listed
2.5 mi
Dollar, Robert, House
Industrial
3.4 mi
Dollar, Robert, Estate
Industrial
3.7 mi
Bradford House
Industrial
3.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Dixie Schoolhouse listed on the National Register?

Dixie Schoolhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 26, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Dixie Schoolhouse?

Dixie Schoolhouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Dixie Schoolhouse?

The period of significance for Dixie Schoolhouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Dixie Schoolhouse?

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