Little Stone School House

Description of the Historic Place

The Little Stone School House is located directly east of St. Andrew’s College on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan. The property features a one-storey stone school constructed in 1887 that was moved to the University of Saskatchewan in 1911.

This historic place was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property in 1982.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Little Stone School House lies in its association with the foundation of public education in Saskatoon. In 1885, Saskatoon Public School District No. 13 was formed with classes held in various temporary locations. This granite one-room school, originally known as Victoria School, was built by Alexander Marr in 1887. Community members assisted in the gathering of suitable building stones from the surrounding prairie. Stone being a readily-available alternative to wood-frame construction at a time when lumber was rare and expensive to transport. The school accommodated approximately 40 pupils, and having a central location at the corner of Broadway Avenue and 11th Street, immediately became a gathering place for religious, social and cultural events. It was replaced in 1910 when the growing community required a larger educational facility.

The heritage value of the Little Stone School House also resides in its stonemasonry. Stonemason Alexander Marr constructed this building in 1887. A school of Prairie Vernacular design, its hip roof, robust mass, sequence of its stonework and strong form speak to the importance of education in the community, as well as optimism for the future.

The Little Stone School House was one of the first heritage conservation projects in western Canada. Undertaken as a tribute to pioneer education, the school was dismantled stone by stone and each stone was numbered. It was then reconstructed on the grounds of the newly-established University of Saskatchewan in 1911, under the direction of stonemason, Lorne Thompson. It was restored in 1967 and established as a school museum.

Source: City of Saskatoon Bylaw No.6267 / City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database / Canadian Register of Historic Places

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Its use as a school, its shape, the placement of its windows and central door;
• Its form, walls, and steep hip roof; and
• Its orientation on its lot, and the materials used in the construction of its front door, windows, floor, walls and ceiling dating to the school’s reconstruction at the University location.