Timber School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Timber School House |
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The original Timber School in the 1890s
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Mission Revival (current schoolhouse) |
| Location | 1872 Newbury Road, Newbury Park, CA |
| Completed | 1889 and 1924 |
| Owner | Daylight Thousand Oaks LLC |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Roy C. Wilson |
The Timber School was the very first school in Newbury Park, California. It opened its doors in 1889. The building you see today was built in 1924. It is the oldest school still standing in the City of Thousand Oaks. It's also the oldest public building left in the entire Conejo Valley.
The first Timber School building was taken down in 1925. But the current building was already built a year before, right in front of the old one. The Timber School House was designed in a special style called Mission Revival. The architect was Roy C. Wilson, who was the first licensed architect in Ventura County. This site used to be home to Conejo Valley High School. That school moved after the land was sold in 2015. The Timber School is located at the corner of Kelley and Newbury Roads. It is an important landmark for both the City of Thousand Oaks and Ventura County.
You can still see the original bell tower from the 1800s where it first stood. The bell itself is now on display at Cypress Elementary School. There's also a copy of the 1888 schoolhouse next to the Stagecoach Inn. It even has a copy of the old school bell.
Many people went to Timber School. Some well-known former students include Reba Hays Jeffries, H. Allen Hays, and Fred Kelley.
A Look Back: Timber School's History
Before Timber School opened in 1889, students in Timberville (now Newbury Park) went to classes at the Grand Union Hotel. This hotel was just a short walk from where the school is now. Most students came from farms in Newbury Park. They would walk, ride horses, or come by wagon.
The school was first built on land owned by Cecil Arthur Entwisle Haigh. He owned the Grand Union Hotel. In 1888, Mr. Haigh sold two acres of his land for the new school. This is the same spot where Kelley and Newbury Roads meet today. The school had one big classroom and two smaller rooms for coats. It had blackboards made of slate and used oil lamps for light. People also used the schoolhouse for church services. A wood stove kept the building warm. Miss Moster was the first teacher. She taught about 35 students and was paid $40 each month.
Besides being a school and a church, the Timber School was a community center. People held May Day parties, weddings, and picnics there. The first school building became too old by 1921. So, the school board looked for money to build a bigger school. Roy C. Wilson, a famous architect, was chosen to design the new building.
The new school was made of concrete and finished in the fall of 1924. The old Timber School, which was right behind the new one, was taken down in 1925. Its wood was sold. As more families moved to the area, more classrooms were needed. An auditorium was built in 1949. In 1974, the Timber School District joined with other local school districts. They formed the Conejo Valley Unified School District.
The Timber School building has been used for different things over the years. It was once district offices and later a high school called Conejo Valley High School. Today, the building is empty.
In 2004, the Thousand Oaks City Council voted to make the Timber School City Landmark No. 12. A copy of the original 1889 school was built in 1994. You can see it at the Stagecoach Inn Museum.
Future Plans for the Site
In 2015, a company called Daylight Thousand Oaks LLC bought the land where the school is. They bought it from the Conejo Valley Unified School District. The company has plans to build new things on the site.
They have suggested building apartments and a hotel. The plans include using the old schoolhouse and auditorium. These buildings would become offices and community rooms. Some city leaders think this project could help provide more homes for people.
However, some people who live nearby are not happy with the current plans. They are worried about things like parking and how tall the new buildings might be. The company is still working on its official application for the project.
