Seneca Schoolhouse

Experience a typical 1880 school day in Seneca, Maryland!

In 1865, Mr. Darby started collecting subscriptions from neighbors in the form of cash and skills to build and run a schoolhouse. Before this, Seneca children were home schooled or received no education. Teachers were paid a few hundred dollars a year, and families who could not afford school fees would house the teachers. The children mostly came from local farms and settlements, but there were occasionally children from “barge families” as well. When the canal froze in the winter, the families who worked on the canal sent their children to schools while waiting for spring.

Today, 4^th graders can attend a 19^th century school day program in the Seneca Schoolhouse. In this immersive experience, the teacher wears period clothes and the students are given historically accurate ‘identities’. Call 301-407-0777 to schedule a visit. Visit the gift shop for 19^th century school supplies, toys, books, and games.