The Compton One-Room School

The last, and only log school to be preserved and displayed in Western Maryland, was attended by Amish and Mennonite children for 100 years.

The school was donated by Cora Broadwater and the restoration was made possible by a loan from Maryland Historical Trust.

This is the last and only log school house in Western Maryland to be preserved and on display. Esther Yoder, who was the general manager at Spruce Forest at the time the school was brought here, was largely responsible for outfitting the school with furniture, books and supplies depicting the history of schools in the Casselman Valley. The building was built and used as a school, was occupied for a time as a dwelling, and again as a school, and finally as a blacksmith shop and then a car garage in the years before it was completely abandoned and left in a state of near-collapse.

Compton School was likely built by Robert Compton whose family came to this area from New Jersey after the Revolutionary War. As a child, Compton had been an errand boy for George Washington. After his father died, Compton left Washington's service but continued to correspond with the general and president. George Washington, having served in the Alleghenies during the French and Indian War, may have encouraged the Comptons to move to Western Maryland.

The Compton School House is open during Village hours. Dossiers are needed to host the school house and inquiries can be directed to the village office. Contact us for more information.

A big thank you to Terry & Scott Stough, former Garrett County teachers, and residents of Friendsville, MD for their donation of vintage books, many from the 1800s. The books originated from Scott’s great grandfather, Reuben Runkle, a teacher in Manada Gap, Hanover Township, PA from 1888 to 1935, where he never missed one day of school!