June Open Houses @ Drayden Schoolhouse

The St. Mary’s County Museum Division, in partnership with the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions (UCAC), will offer open houses at the Drayden African American Schoolhouse in Drayden on the first and third Saturday of the month from 11am to 2pm. Two additional dates have been added in June.

Dates of the open houses this year are 11am to 2pm June 6, 19, 20 and 21;
July 4 and 18;
August 1 and 15; September 5 and 19; and October 3 and 17.

The Drayden African American Schoolhouse is one of the nation’s best-preserved one-room African American schoolhouses. Its story represents a significant part of St. Mary’s County’s African American history. Visitors are invited to learn more about the restored schoolhouse, its rich history, and its importance to education in St. Mary’s County. Hear the stories about how African American students learned in the school up until the mid-20th century.

The schoolhouse is at 18287 Cherryfield Road.

Volunteers will be available during the open houses to share stories about the schoolhouse’s history. All ages are welcome, and admission is free.

Special programs are also offered for school, bus, and other tour groups that would like to schedule a visit to the Drayden site. Individual visitors who would like to see the schoolhouse during times outside open house hours can contact the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum at 301-994-1471 to arrange a visit.

For more information about the Drayden African American Schoolhouse open houses, programs, and more, visit the schoolhouse’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/DraydenSchool or call 301-994-1471.