Below is some information on many of the One-Room Schools that were located in Windsor Township before 1950.
Brillhart School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on May 23, 1950, Brillhart School was located on north side of the highway (Route 624) leading from Windsor to Long Level. The school is to the east of Gebhart Road. The image below taken from the 1915 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it. The school dates back to at least 1878, when it is mentioned in a newspaper article and the and was in existence until 1950. The school property was deeded from Daniel Brillhart and his wife to Windsor School District on November 9, 1878.
Cedar Hill School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on July 3, 1951, Cedar Hill School was located one-half mile northwest of the road leading from Holtzinger’s Church and near the pumping station. The school is on the east side of White Oak Rd, between Manor Road and Cabin Creek. The school dates back to around 1883 when Peter Becker and his wife sold the property to the School District of Windsor Township on March 30, 1883 and it is first mentioned in 1886 in Gibson’s History of York County book and was in existence until 1950.
The Beach Nichols 1876 Atlas of York County shows a school located further north along White Oak Road. At this time, it is unclear if this was the original location of Cedar Hill School or a school by another name. Below is a map showing the location of the school in 1876 (with a square surrounding the black dot for the building location) and where it compares to the known location of Cedar Hill School.
East End School
According to Gibson’s History of York County from 1886 and Prowell’s History of York County from 1907, Windsor Twp had a school named East End. At this point further definitive information on the school and its location are elusive. However, we do have a clue as to where it may have been located. Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church located at the corner of Pleasant Grove Road and Snyder Corner Road was also called East End church. The image below taken from the 1915 York County Public Road Map shows the location of the church, and it also shows a school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it right across the street. An article from the July 22, 1890 edition of The York Dispatch confirms this was East End school. The article talks about the construction of Pleasant Grove church and it mentions that the new church site was purchased from Joseph Stoner on the northeast corner of the cross roads, at the East End school house.
East End school was previously known as Bigler’s school before it became known as East End. An 1878 article from The Gazette newspaper listed a school in Windsor Twp called Bigler’s (and no school by the name of East End). The 1876 map of York County shows a “Mrs. Bigler” living just to the west of the intersection of Pleasant Grove Road and Snyder Corner Road. An article from the October 20, 1890 edition of The York Dispatch mention the Pleasant Grove church that is located at Dr. Bigler’s school house one mile from Rocky post office, all of which perfectly describes the location of East End school.
Fairview School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on July 3, 1951, Fairview School was located on the west side of the highway leading from Holtz, past Miller’s Mill to the East Prospect Highway. For perspective, Holtz is located at the intersection of Freysville Road and Mt. Pisgah Road, and Miller’s Mill is located along the east side of Freysville Road, just south of Kreutz Creek and East Prospect Road. The school probably dates back to around 1883 when Elias Schrantz sold the school property to School District of Windsor Twp on June 2, 1883 and it is first mentioned in 1886 in Gibson’s History of York County book and was in existence until 1950. The image below taken from the 1941 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a flag.
Gehley School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on May 23, 1950, Gehley School was located on the north side of the improved highway leading from York to East Prospect (Route 124/East Prospect Road). The image taken below from the Beach Nichols 1876 Atlas of York County shows the location of the school along East Prospect Road, just to the east of Freysville Road. Daniel Gehley and his wife Margaret deeded the land for the school on May 3, 1847 to Windsor Township School District. It is likely the school was built shortly after that date and was in existence until 1950.
Grim’s School
Grim’s School was located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Grim Hollow Road and Zion Church Road. The school dates back to around 1891 when Emanuel Grim and his wife Catherine sold a piece of land to Windsor Township School district on August 14, 1891 and was in existence until 1950. The image below taken from the 1910 USGS Topographical Map shows the school marked with an “x” above the mark for the building.
The Beach Nichols 1876 Atlas of York County shows a school located further south along White Oak Road. At this time, it is does not appear a different location for Grim’s School, since there is no mention of Grim’s School in either a newspaper article from August 13, 1878 in the York Gazette and in 1886 from Gibson’s History of York County book. Therefore, it makes it likely the school on the 1876 Map was a school by a different name.
There was a school by the name of Grove located in Windsor Township (as verified by a newspaper article from August 13, 1878 in the York Gazette and in 1886 from Gibson’s History of York County book), but no mention of the school after 1886. On the 1876 Beach Nichols map, you will notice an H. Grove living nearby the school. Most schools were named after a landowner who provided land for the building of the school (if you notice, E. Grim is living just to the northwest of where Grim’s school was built). Could the school on the 1876 map below be Grove’s?
Locust Grove School
Locust Grove School was located on the southeast corner of East Prospect Road and Christensen Road. The image below taken from the 1915 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it. The school by that name dates back to at least 1898 when it is mentioned in an article on February 11, 1898 in the Gazette newspaper and was in existence until 1950. However, there was a school at that location for a much longer period of time.
There is no mention of Locust Grove school in Gibson’s History of York County book that was written in 1886, but according to the Beach Nichols 1876 Map of York, there was a school at the same location as Locust Grove School.
In looking at the Beach Nichols 1876 Map of York County below, there is an important clue as to what the school was likely called before it was called Locust Grove. Just to the east of the school, the homeowner is listed as M. Wambaugh. Gibson’s History of York County book that was written in 1886 lists a school by the name of Wambaugh in Windsor Township. However, by the time Prowell’s book was written in 1907, Wambaugh’s is no longer listed as a school, but Locust Grove is. A deed transaction from 1950 when Locust Grove school was sold verifies this information. When the school was sold to William Lenz, the deed mentions that the School District of Windsor Township originally bought this property from John Wambaugh prior to 1840 but the original deed had been lost. Therefore what became known as Locust Grove school was originally known as Wambaugh’s.
Miller School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on May 23, 1950, Miller’s School was located on the south side of Route 74, adjoining the lot of W. Collins Workinger. The Miller School was located just to the east of the current location of Pleasant View Elementary School. Jacob Miller and his wife Anna Mary sold the land upon which the school was built to Windsor School District on May 7, 1858, so it is probable the school was first used for the 1858-1859 school year. The school was definitely operating by at least 1861, as the biography of Cornelius Strayer in the “History of York County, PA” written by George Prowell states that Cornelius was born in January 1854 and attended the Miller School at the age of 6. The school stayed in operation until 1950.
Portner School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on May 23, 1950, Portner’s School was located on the south side of Route 74, adjoining lands of Theodore Gilbert and George Shenberger. Besides the Miller School, which was already located, the only other school on the south side of Route 74 was located near the intersection with Gilbert Road. The image below taken from the 1915 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it.
In fact, a school had been located at this location since at least 1841 and is marked on every future map until 1950. However, there is no listing for a Portner School in either Gibson’s History of York County from 1886 or Prowell’s History of York County from 1907.
Therefore, Portner’s school went by another name, and the Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County gives us a good clue as what it was probably called. Located in the same area where the school would later be built are neighbor’s J. Cross and J. Raub. Gibson’s 1886 History of York County lists one of the schools in Windsor Township as Cross’s (Raub’s). Prowell’s book in 1907 only lists the name as Cross’s. Based on this information, it seems likely that the original name for Portner’s School was Cross’s (Raub’s). The above information is confirmed to be correct by reviewing the deed for when the Portner school was sold in 1950 by the school district. That deed states the property was originally sold to Upper Windsor School District on February 24, 1841 by James Cross. Therefore Portner’s school was originally known as Cross’s school.
Small School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on May 23, 1950, Small’s School was located on the southwest corner of Burkholder Road and an unimproved public road (Bahn’s Mill Road). The school dates back to at least 1860 and was in existence until 1950.
It appears there were several locations for Small’s School before this final location. The 1860 Shearer Map of York County and the 1876 Beach Nichols Atlas of York County show the school on Bahn’s Mill Road on the east side, just north of Newcomer Road. Then the 1908 USGS Topographical Map and the 1915 & 1926 York County Public Road Maps show the school on the northeast corner of Burkholder Road and Bahn’s Mill Road.
Snell School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on May 23, 1950, Snell’s School was located one half mile east of the improved highway leading from Red Lion to York through East Yoe, on an unimproved road (Steinfelt Road). The school was on the south side of Steinfelt Road, just to the east of Holtzapple Road. The school dates back to 1890 when Benjamin Snell and his wife Elizabeth sold the school property to the School District of Windsor Township on July 11, 1890 and was in existence until 1950. The image below taken from the 1915 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it.
Snell’s School was not on The Beach Nichols 1876 Atlas of York County (nor was it listed in Gibson’s History of York County book from 1886), but the map shows another school north of where Snell’s School was located. This other school was located along the north side Ruppert Road, just to the west of Kendale Road. At this time, the name of this school is not known.
Springvale School
Springvale School was located in the village of Springvale. The school dates back to 1909 and was in existence until 1950. The land for the school was sold by Melton Sevis and his wife Hattie. The image below taken from the 1926 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it.
Tyson School
According to an article from the Gazette and Daily newspaper on July 3, 1951, Tyson’s School was located on the west side of the Red Lion to Felton highway (Felton Road) about halfway between the boroughs. The school was located where Felton Road intersects with Brownton Road. The image below taken from the 1915 York County Public Road Map shows the school marked with a circle and a plus sign inside of it. The school dates back to at least 1876 when it appears on the Beach Nichols Atlas of York County and was in existence until 1950. The property for the school was purchased by the School District of Windsor Township on February 21, 1879 from Jacob Diehl.
Windsor School
The first school in Windsor, known as Windsorville at that time, was located on the northwest corner of Main St. and Penn St. The first classes were held at the school in 1872. This school was replaced in 1905 when Windsor Primary school was built at the intersection of College Avenue and West 1st Avenue. The image taken below from the Beach Nichols 1876 Atlas of York County shows the location of the school (highlighted in yellow).
