Jellerson Schoolhouse


Experience a school day in 1910.

  • 1910 School Room
  • Authentic books and school materials
  • Year Round
  • Wood Stove Heat
  • Outdoor Privy
  • Merrymeeting Bay Museum attached
  • Special Events: birthdays, receptions, meetings, etc. also considered.

We encourage students and adults to dress as in 1910 (handouts & clothes to loan), and to bring a lunch such as students would have had.(Handout)

Typical School Day  (9:30 - 2:30 if possible (if not, we’ll adjust)

  • Introduction
  • Reading/
    • Recitation  (with school marm by reading group)
    • Penmanship practice in copybooks
    • Spelling practice with slates
  • Explore #1
  • Arithmetic
  • Lunch
  • Recess
  • Spelling Bee
  • Explore #2
  • Geography (Our area & Merrymeeting Bay)
  • Chores

With sufficient notice we can tailor our curriculum to your needs. We do ask for a donation of $65 to help with the expenses of running the school.  For more information email Betsy Steen: bayviewess@ comcast.net

History of the Jellerson Schoolhouse

In 1791, the selectmen of Bowdoinham voted to divide the town into three districts. “District No. 3 included all the Inhabitants west of the Abagadassett River to the East Branch of the Cathance River, otherwise known as Denham mill stream. £10.00 was divided equally among the three districts.”   (page 100 The History of the Town of Bowdoinham: 1962-1912 by Silas Adams)

The first school house in District #3 was built west of the Abagadassett River a distance north of the Browns Point Road under the supervision of George Maxwell and George Thomas.

In 1850 the old school house was replaced with the current school house, built several hundred yards down Center’s Point Road, on the west side of the road. In 1910 it was renovated and moved to its present location on the south east corner of Center’s Point and Brown’s Point Roads.

It served the students of East Bowdoinham until 1946 when it was closed due to lack of pupils. It was the home of the Bowdoinham Rod and Gun Club from 1956 until its dissolution in the late 1970’s. The building and land  became the property of the Bowdoinham Historical Society in 1987. It is Bowdoinham's sole remaining one-room school out of 18.