Clayton Schoolhouse wired to meet future

The outside of the schoolhouse in Clayton, Wash., looks much like it did when it was built in 1914, but inside, the newly renovated building has high-tech classrooms, and everything is up to code.

The 7,200-square-foot schoolhouse is owned by the Deer Park School District and sits on five acres at Swenson and Park Street, 10 miles north of Deer Park.

Burton Construction began the refurbishing project last August, and it was completed the end of March, under budget at $950,345.

Architect Ernie Robeson said the challenge was putting all new systems in an old building without changing how it looks.

An old nonfunctional stairway was removed, opening up the central corridor. All the woodwork was replaced with vertical-grain fir. The windows and roof were replaced.

The original bell tower was reworked in its original form but with new low maintenance materials. There’s a bell in the tower – and it works.

Light fixtures were changed to meet the energy code, but have historic-looking schoolhouse globes.

Deer Park School District superintendent Mick Miller said he is delighted with the work done by the Robeson and Burton Construction.

“The primary purpose will be for use by the Deer Park School District’s Home Link program, beginning next fall. They will have their enrichment classes there – classes that homeschool parents don’t offer at home,” said Miller.

Home Link is a contract-based education program for home-schooled students. The program is housed in the Deer Park School District’s administration building.

The Clayton Schoolhouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Governors Advisory Council on Historic Preservation voted to add the schoolhouse to the Washington Heritage Registry.