Hartman's Corners Schoolhouse

The Hartman's Corners Schoolhouse has strong historical significance as the oldest surviving schoolhouse in Aurora, York Region, and the GTA. Built circa 1837, it is likely the 3rd or 4th oldest remaining schoolhouse in Ontario. Originally located in the community of Hartman's Corners at the intersection of Bayview Avenue and Wellington Street East, one of the earliest teachers in this one-room schoolhouse was Joseph Hartman. Joseph was the son of Quaker immigrants from Pennsylvania, and went on to become one of early Aurora's most prominent citizens. In addition to teaching and farming, he was a temperance advocate, radical reformer, a leader in the Methodist Congregation, first Reeve of Whitchurch Township (1850-1859), County Warden and a Member of Provincial Parliament for York County.

A new brick schoolhouse was built in 1885, and the Hartman's Corners Schoolhouse was sold to George W. Graham, who moved the building to its present location at 118 Wellington Street East in Aurora. The building has been used as a private residence for over 120 years; however, it remains known in the community as a schoolhouse. Most schoolhouses of this era were torn down, so its continued use as a private residence makes it a rare survivor.

The architectural value of the Hartman's Corners Schoolhouse lies in its vertical plank construction. This early form of construction was used in communities in Ontario and Quebec during periods of lumber surpluses, and the Hartman's Corners Schoolhouse is the only known surviving schoolhouse built using this technique. Although the building has been altered over the years, a number of its original features remain intact, although hidden under aluminium siding, including the clapboard siding, original fenestration and trim.