Description of Historic Place

The Little Red Schoolhouse is a modest, one-and–a-half storey nineteenth century, one-room schoolhouse that has been converted into a home. It sits on its original location on the eastern outskirts of Amherst, Nova Scotia, surrounded by a treed lawn and backed by the Tantramar Marsh. The building and property are included in the municipal designation.

Heritage Value

The Little Red Schoolhouse is valued for being a good example of a typical Maritime schoolhouse built during the nineteenth century in Cumberland County. This school was built circa 1862, and so is linked to the early educational history of the Amherst area. The one-room, rectangular, symmetrical structure has a centered entry in the gable end, and two large rectangular windows on each side. It is unadorned except for the transom over the door, and the corner boards and trim are painted white, which is in sharp contrast to deep red clapboard exterior. The distinctive window in the gable is a recent alteration, replacing the original rectangle window. Also on the property are two small red buildings that were the original outhouses for the school.

Source: “Heritage Properties County, Little Red Schoolhouse” File, Cumberland County Museum

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Little Red Schoolhouse include:

- wood construction;
- original location, size and massing;
- medium-pitch gabled roof;
- symmetrical;
- entry in gable end;
- unadorned except for transom and corner boards;
- painted red with white trim.