The Oakdale School – Purcellville, Virginia - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

The Oakdale School

Purcellville, Virginia

The oldest existing one-room brick schoolhouse in Loudoun County. 

View all photos
Oakdale School historical sign blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Oakdale School interior blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Oakdale School interior blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
Oakdale School interior blimpcaptain (Atlas Obscura User)
24
52
Top Places in Virginia
The Markel Building
The Markel Building
Richmond, Virginia
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial
Alexandria, Virginia
The Crater
Petersburg, Virginia
 See All

The Oakdale school was built by Quakers in 1815 and served the local community, welcoming all children regardless of faith or wealth. 

Early age curriculum included reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic, with geography and grammar for early teenage students. Classes were held year-round except for two weeks during the wheat harvest. 

The school operated until 1903 and was then used intermittently during periods of overcrowding at nearby Lincoln school. In 1926, it was used temporarily to educate students from the nearby high school while it was rebuilt following a fire.

Today, the school is a living history museum that is open to the public and preserved by the neighboring Goose Creek Meeting. It is also part of a living history program for students at nearby Lincoln Elementary School and some home-schooled students.

Atlas Obscura Experiences

The Spies of Arlington National Cemetery

Fort Myer, Virginia
$60 per person
education schools buildings
Community Contributors
b
Added by
blimpcaptain
Published
July 4, 2022
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
Gleedsville Cemetery
6.63 miles
Thomas Balch Library
6.82 miles
Leesburg Lime Company Kiln
7.17 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Family plot
Leesburg, Virginia

Gleedsville Cemetery

The all-but-forgotten cemetery is Eastern Loudon County's largest African-American burial ground.
Thomas Balch Library
Leesburg, Virginia

Thomas Balch Library

Designated as an Underground Railroad research site.
Leesburg Lime Company Kiln
Leesburg, Virginia

Leesburg Lime Company Kiln

The hulking remains of the Leesburg Lime Company Kiln lie dormant behind a historical marker close to the W&OD trail.
Dodona Manor
Leesburg, Virginia

Dodona Manor

Named for a Greek oracle that interpreted the words of Zeus, this beautifully-restored manor home was once home to the architect of the Marshall Plan.
Related Places
Marshall, North Carolina

Marshall High Studios

This historic high school was saved from demolition to become an island home for Marshall’s creative community.
Velha Goa, India

Gate of St. Paul's College

All that remains of a 16th-century Jesuit school is this carved, worn gate.
Emporia, Kansas

National Memorial to Fallen Educators

In the aftermath of the murder of six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a memorial was constructed to remember all the teachers, administrators and staff who lost their lives.
William Wordsworth's School Desk Carving
Hawkshead, England

William Wordsworth's School Desk Carving

This small village museum contains the schoolboy scratchings of William Wordsworth.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web