Oct. 7 Drayden Schoolhouse Open House

A free open house will be offered at the Drayden African American Schoolhouse in Drayden on October 7 from 11am to 2pm. It will be the last open house in 2023.

The Drayden African American Schoolhouse is one of the nation’s best-preserved one-room African American schoolhouses, and 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 history and importance to education in St. Mary’s County. Hear the real stories about how African American students learned in this school up until the mid-20th century.

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

The schoolhouse is at 18287 Cherryfield Road in Drayden.

Special programs for school, bus, and other tour groups are available. To schedule a visit to the Drayden site, call the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum at 301-994-1471.

The open houses are offered through a partnership with the St. Mary’s County Museum Division and the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions.

Most of the volunteers who staff the open houses are members of the UCAC.