A historical one-room school built in 1912 was the focal point of a celebration by School District 38 having recently been restored.

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 hosted a community celebration May 3 on the grounds of Ray E. Kilmer Elementary School in the Black Forest area of Colorado Springs marking the restoration of the Pine Grove Schoolhouse, a historic one-room school built in 1912. The restored schoolhouse is revered throughout the district as a testament to early 20th-century rural education in Colorado.

“As a former history teacher, I know the importance and the power of stories, especially those rooted in the places where they happened,” Kilmer Elementary principal Greg Saunders said at the event. “Restoring an old schoolhouse isn’t just about preserving a building. It’s about honoring the generations who learned within its walls and inspiring future learners to value where we’ve come from.”

The Pine Grove Schoolhouse was established after local parents petitioned for a joint El Paso and Douglas County school to reduce the distance their children had to travel. An El Paso County family donated the land, while a Douglas County family provided a bunkhouse that was refurbished into the school building. The school opened full-time in the fall of 1912 and served area children for 26 years, enduring through events like stock market crashes and epidemics.

After its closure, the building continued to be used for community events, including weddings. However, over the years, it fell into disrepair and faced threats from new developments. In June 1998, the landowners donated the deteriorating structure to Kilmer Elementary School. Thanks to the efforts and donations of Kilmer families, the schoolhouse was moved and restored to its original appearance. Today, it serves as an educational resource, allowing students to experience pioneer-era schooling.

The recent restoration project was significantly advanced by Daniel Rosen, a senior at Lewis-Palmer High School and member of Troop 17, who undertook the initiative as part of his Eagle Scout requirements. His dedication, alongside the support of volunteers and local organizations, was instrumental in preserving this piece of educational heritage.

Rosen said he was particularly proud having attended Kilmer Elementary when he was younger.

“My time at Kilmer provided me with an excellent community of wonderful teachers and students that helped me feel a sense of belonging,” he said. “When I first moved here, Kilmer was a big part of my childhood, so having the opportunity to give back to the school has been extremely fulfilling.”

The Eagle Scout was inspired to start the project after he saw a post on Facebook taking donations for the schoolhouse, but it hadn’t become a restoration project at that time. Rosen decided the restoration project would become his Eagle Scout community project, including the removal of potentially harmful substances from the structure and restoration to both the interior and exterior, including a new wood shake roof.

During the celebration ceremony, D-38 interim superintendent Amber Whetstine emphasized the stories which come with the historical value of the restored schoolhouse. She pointed out a yellow book of stories related to the structure and education in the Colorado pioneer-era.

Whetstine reflected on how the spirit of valuing education is still present in the Tri-Lakes community, praising the dedication of local educators and supporters who contributed to the restoration.

“It is our privilege to honor the legacy of all families that used to call Pine Grove their school and to keep the rich history alive for our students,” she said.

Saturday’s event featured open tours of the schoolhouse, historical displays, and family-friendly activities. Community members, students, parents, and alumni attended, engaging with local historians and school district staff who shared insights into the school’s history and the restoration process.

Among those in attendance was the elementary school’s first principal, Dwight “Ted” Bauman, as well as the school’s namesake Dr. Ray E. Kilmer, who served as the D-38’s first superintendent. Kilmer spoke of his own elementary and secondary education, a story which had him well familiar with small schoolhouses like Pine Grove. He also spoke to the importance of education and how time has not diluted it.

“I came to a great place,” Kilmer said. “You should congratulate every board of education that comes along because it’s a tough job. They’re making decisions and there’s always a shortage of bucks to go around the way we want to do it. But they’re doing a great job.”