Snickersville Academy

The Snickersville Academy was constructed in 1825 on a half acre of land donated by Amos and Elizabeth Clayton to construct a schoolhouse and church.

The school served children ages 6-16 for a tuition of $3 per semester and parents provided books, which were often shared between children. Students used slates to study writing and arithmetic in place of more expensive paper. Students also learned history, wild animals, Aesop’s fables, and making moral choices.

The church broke off from the school in 1850 after the town built a new stone church, which is still in use today. The building continued to serve as a school until 1872, when the multi-room Mountain Shadow School opened on Snickersville Turnpike.

After shuttering as a school, the house served as a rental property for nearly a century. The land that includes the house was donated to Friends of Bluemont by the Hatcher family, who owned the property for 60 years prior.

The schoolhouse was renovated from 2012-2015 with grants from Loudoun Preservation Society for restorative log work, and repair to the foundation and interior floor.