The Altaville Schoolhouse: Community and State Cooperation in Local Historical Resource Preservation. CDF Archaeological Reports, Number 19

This report documents the archaeological investigations conducted at the former site of the Altaville Schoolhouse in Calaveras County, California. These investigations were carried out through the cooperative efforts of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Calaveras County Historical Society, and the local community. The schoolhouse is the only one-room brick school building remaining in the Mother Lode area of California. It is California Historical Landmark Number 499, and in 1979 the schoolhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1996, the 330 artifacts excavated were examined, identified, and cataloged. The first part of this report narrates the history of the schoolhouse: its construction in 1858 through its closure in 1950; its protected state from 1950-81; its relocation and renovation; and its current condition. The second part of the report gives an overview of the structural, educational, and cultural specimens obtained by archaeological investigations at the original site. The major part of the document consists of: 29 historical photographs of the school; 16 figures of school artifacts; a 330-item catalog of artifacts; newspaper and magazine reprints; copies of relevant documents, correspondence, legislation, maps, and blueprints; and chapter 7 from "Calaveras, the Land of Skulls" (R. C. Wood) describing state and county schools and teachers in California, 1855-59. (Contains 33 references.) (SAS)