Rhyolite Schoolhouse
The now ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada used to be a booming place once millions of dollars worth of gold was found in the nearby mountains. With the gold rush came the miners to work and their families followed.
The school had 90 children enrolled and later there were 250 children in the school.
The original school was built in haste and because of the poor construction quality, was blown down in September 1906. With the schoolhouse gone, school being held in the county hospital building, and the town growing, the residents of Rhyolite held their first town meeting and approved $20,000 to construct a new school.
The new concrete structure opened in January 1909 and included both classrooms and an auditorium; however, it was used only briefly and was never filled.
By the end of 1909, the population was well below 1,000, as the town continued to struggle to stay alive hoping for a new boom that never came.
This is the second schoolhouse built in Rhyolite. The first was a small, wooden building that was built on two lots that had been donated expressly for the purpose.
In February 1906, the first school opened with 26 students. One month later there were 46. By October, there were 74 students and one teacher. The study body grew rapidly as families streamed into the growing town; one year after opening, 225 additional students were enrolled. Understandably, the teacher was said to have had a nervous breakdown from the number of students packed into the original school.
The need for a larger schoolhouse became urgent. In September 1907, a $20,000 bond was passed by voters, and land was donated at the intersection of Cochran Street and Colorado Avenue.
the new school was built using concrete blocks and poured concrete walls. The first floor was divided into three classrooms with a large hallway, and the second floor had one classroom and an auditorium. The room was covered in galvanized Spanish tile, and there was a copula and a bell. The school was said to be fireproof but could be evacuated in two minutes if there ever was a fire.
The new public school opened in January 1909, but closed in 1911 due to the decline of the mines and loss of students as families move away.
The original $20,000 bond passed to the town of Beatty and was not completely paid off until 1978.
Nearby Things to Do
Things to do Near Rhyolite Nevada
Photos and Videos
Reno Gazette-Journal – Reno, Nevada – 17 Feb 1966, Thu • Page 4
Tonopah Bonanza Butler, Nevada 27 Jan 1906, Sat • Page 2
Courtesy of Pomona Public Library – http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt487017vs/?order=1
Ruined school building in Rhyolite ghost town near Beatty, Nevada, United States of America.