Historic Fruitvale Schoolhouse Museum grand opening set for March 1

Published Feb. 24, 2022

Community members are invited to join Placer County in welcoming the historic Fruitvale School to the county’s Museums Division at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Lincoln at 11 a.m. on March 1. 

The ceremony will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony, site tours and remarks from Placer County Museums Division Administrator Ralph Gibson, District 2 Supervisor Robert Weygandt, District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes, among other community dignitaries. 

The Fruitvale School, which was the eleventh of 13 one-room schoolhouses built in western Placer County, was operational until 1946. Since that time, it has operated as a community hall, museum and living history site.

The Museums Division intends to interpret the history of the Fruitvale School from 1888-1946, provide an immersive living history educational experience targeted to third-grade students, establish a rental site for group meetings and events, and provide a community hall for residents.

The Fruitvale Association, the previous owners, grew fearful that the schoolhouse would decay without proper management of the site and reached out to Placer County last year to request a possible transfer of the property to the county for operation by the Museum Division as a museum and living history site.

The Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of the school and its operation as a museum in 2021. 

Event details:

What: Fruitvale School Historical Site and Museum Grand Opening
When: 11 a.m., March 1
Where: 3425 Fruitvale Road, Lincoln, CA 95648

Learn more about the Fruitvale schoolhouse here.