West Union School | |
 Front and side of the school | |
   | |
| Nearest city | Norwich, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°56′56″N81°47′59″W / 39.94889°N 81.79972°W |
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1858 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002155 [1] |
| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1978 |
The West Union School is a historic one-room school located near the village of Norwich in eastern Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. Situated along County Road 200 south of the village, [1] the school was erected in 1858. It replaced an earlier log school building; both structures occupied land on the property of pioneer farmer George Richey. [2]
The school is a weatherboarded building, constructed on a foundation of sandstone and covered with a slate roof; additionally, it features brick details. [3] It features a simple rectangular floor plan, measuring 35 feet (11 m) long and 25 feet (7.6 m) wide. Although now over 150 years old, the school remains in fine condition; it is believed to have been preserved better than any other extant one-room school in the area. [2]
Classes met in the West Union School from its completion in 1858 until the fall of 1933, [4] at which time the West Union School District united with other Union Township districts to merge with the New Concord school system. Since that time, the school has served as a community center: it has hosted events for religious groups, musicians' and farmers' organizations, and even a debate club. [2] In early 1978, the West Union School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, [1] qualifying both because of its historically significant architecture and because of its role in local history. [3]
