Welcome to the Old Schoolhouse
...home of the Encinitas Historical Society, where you'll discover photographs, exhibits, research papers, oral histories and well-informed docents eager to share their passion for this unique City and its history.
Walk across the original wood floor and imagine yourself back in 1883, when the newly-built one-room schoolhouse was home to the town's entire population of school age children - all eight of them.
Join us for our guided downtown walks held every third Saturday, September through July, or come and enjoy our regular events - film festivals, open houses - and immerse yourself in the history of Encinitas, its landmarks and its people, and get to know how this beachside community of fishermen and farmers evolved into the vibrant and fascinating City it is today.
The Old Schoolhouse is open Friday and Saturday afternoons throughout the year (except Public Holidays) from 1 - 4pm. Entry is free but donations are always welcome. Park outside or stroll up from the beach - we're just a block away!
We look forward to seeing you and taking you on an unforgettable journey back in time...
The 1883 Schoolhouse once again echoed to the sound of children’s laughter when kindergartners from Redeemer by the Sea Lutheran Preschool visited the oldest building in town to learn more about life at the end of the 19th century.
Accompanied by their teachers, Miss Elle and Miss Welty, the youngsters listened intently as Lloyd O’Connell, a founding member of the Encinitas Historical Society and former principal of neighboring Pacific View School, gave a brief presentation to the kids. They were amazed to see the faded photos from over a hundred years ago showing schoolchildren doing craft work at their desks or singing along to a guitar at their regular Friday picnics on Moonlight Beach. Until the schoolhouse fell into disuse in 1927, every child in Encinitas, from first grade through eighth, was educated together in the one-room school.
After a lively question and answer session Lloyd, accompanied by EHS President Sean Englert, walked the children to the historic boathouses on Third Street. These iconic structures, which have never been to sea despite their alluring starboard list, were built back in the late 1920s out of wood salvaged from a dance hall that failed to survive Prohibition. They are currently owned by the Encinitas Preservation Society and rented out as private dwellings until such time as the EPS has the funds to convert them into a living museum.
