The oldest surviving one-room schoolhouse in New Jersey built 266 years ago will be featured in Ken Burns’ upcoming PBS documentary series “The American Revolution.”
The historic building, located in downtown Mount Holly, will appear in the fourth episode in the six-part series, which will air nightly Nov. 16 through Nov. 21.
Built in 1759, the Old Schoolhouse was selected by Burns’ production company, Florentine Films, to help illustrate colonial-era education.
“When Florentine Films came to us asking to film a segment for their upcoming documentary on the American Revolution at the Old Schoolhouse, naturally, we said, of course!” Ann Talcott, president of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of New Jersey, said in a statement,
“The segment will feature pieces from our collections at the Old Schoolhouse, which are incredible examples of material culture related to education in the 18th century,” Talcott said.
Recent archaeological excavations at the site have uncovered historical artifacts including slate tablets and pencils used by students centuries ago. The findings will eventually be displayed at the schoolhouse.
The building’s history reflects early American values around education.
In 1759, five grantees, including Quakers, received the land “for schooling thy child” in what was then called Bridgetown. Twenty-one local men pooled resources to construct the schoolhouse.
The brick schoolhouse, built in the Flemish bond style, has had only three owners throughout its history.
The Female Benevolent Association operated it as a free school for the poor from 1815 to 1848, after which it served as a Mount Holly public school classroom until 1951.
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America then took ownership and continues preservation efforts today.
In 2008, the schoolhouse was added to both the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places.
Located at 35 Brainerd St., monthly public tours and visits by appointment are offered.