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Building History

The Sacramento, California, City Directory, 1866, (p. 28) described the establishment of public schools in Sacramento about thirteen years previously: “According to the law authorizing the establishment of Public Schools, passed April 26th, 1853, County Assessors were, ex-officio County Superintendent of Public Schools, and had the appointment of School Commissioners. H.J. Bidleman, County Assessor, and ex-officio County Superintendent of Public Schools, acting under this law, appointed Dr. G.J. Phelan, Dr. H.W. Harkness and George Wiggins, School Commissioners for Sacramento. February, 1854, the first Public School in this city was opened at the corner of K and Fifth streets, George H. Peck, teacher. Soon after this the boys and girls were separated and Miss Griswold appointed to the Female School. It is said that in July, 1854, there were 261 pupils in the Public Schools and 250 in Private Schools. In the same year, E.B. Ryan, the Census Marshal, reported the number of children in the city between the ages of four and eighteen years to be 1,218.In October 1854, the City Council established by ordinance and appointed a City Board of Education, thereby superseding the authority of the County Superintendent and Commissioners of Public Schools. In March, 1855, the School Law was altered so as to give the election of the Board of Education to the people, and to increase their number to six—two to each ward.”

It is not clear how long this first Sacramento Public School operated.

Demolition

Public School #1 was razed. This school was located in the vicinity where the Downtown Commons and Golden 1 Center were later built.

PCAD id: 24963