One Room Schools History
The first settlers came to Brown County around 1820. There were no formal schools until 1835. Hedgesville, a community in the eastern part of Brown County which no longer exists, established the first school. This only lasted for a short time. The second school was constructed in Nashville, two years later. This school was built of native logs and lasted five years. The state legislature set up a system to provide supervision over the schools in each community. Each of the five townships in Brown county had a township trustee that oversay the building of schools and hiring of teachers. The plan was that every school house was established withing walking distance of each child’s home. The trustees were paid a salary out of which they were to finance all this plus buy books, buy firewood, furnish the school, and take care of maintenance of the building.*
*Source: Genealogy Trails History Group
Indianapolis Monthly – Cozy Cabin Edition, October 2022
Smartly renovated in 2016, the former one-room Cottonwood School shows its age—in a good way— through preserved original details like buffed heart pine flooring; wainscoting; tall, wavy-glass windows; and the 1891 belfry with bell still intact.
Surrounded by woods and butterfly gardens on a peaceful acre of Morgantown land, the two-bedroom inn earns and “A” for location, just far enough away from the traffic of downtown Nashville and its nearby state park.
Accommodation check in at just under 1,000 square feet, but live large thanks to an airy great room. If you do need to plug in, high-speed fiber-optic internet is available with conference call capabilities, a rarity in rural Brown County. In short, this schoolhouse rocks.—Amy Lynch
Columbus Monthly – Great Escapes Edition, April 2021
Long-ago pupils at this one-room school likely never dreamed that one day people would pay to stay in it overnight. “The Schoolhouse Inn has been beautifully restored. It is private, but just 15 minutes to the village of Nashville,” says property manager Marisa Payton, referring to the arts hub of this section of southern Indiana.
Renovated in 2016 as a chic two-bedroom lodging, the schoolhouse retains important authentic components. The original bell still hangs in the belfry. The 7-foot windows have original wavy glass. Inside, wood wainscoting and the heart of pine floors have been preserved. Beyond that, it has been given luxurious touches, a cozy fireplace, a hot tub and modern technology.
The 1-acre wooded property has a butterfly garden and deck. Located in the scenic hills of Brown County, the dog-friendly inn is a gateway to Nashville’s galleries, restaurants, antique shops and more, as well as the surrounding natural area, one of the prettiest parts of Indiana, a haven for fishing, hiking and cycling. Brown County is particularly beautiful in fall, so if peace and serenity is what you’re after, the 1891 Schoolhouse Inn can teach you a thing or two. —Ellen Creager
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