Fallbrook Reche Schoolhouse is open for visits

FALLBROOK – All are welcome to visit the Fall Brook Reche Schoolhouse property, located at 1319 South Live Oak Park Road. The Schoolhouse is regarded as one of the best examples of a one room schoolhouse anywhere. It is owned by the Fallbrook Historical Society and is available for tours, events and is open from 1- 4 p.m., the third Saturday of each month. The property includes the schoolhouse, a Native American grinding rock and an adobe building built by Eric Hindorff in the 1920's.

The schoolhouse was built on land donated by Vital Reche in 1886, an early settler who gave Fall Brook its name. The original building was destroyed by a fire March 4, 1896 and the current schoolhouse was built on the same site but slightly higher up the hill with classes beginning on Nov. 9, 1896.

It was operated as a school until 1939. In 1934, the Reche Club was formed to protect and preserve the grounds and school. The club continued in this role until 2016 when ownership was transferred to the Fallbrook Historical Society. The historical society takes great pride in preserving the schoolhouse and providing historical information to the community.

The historical society has plans to build an interpretative trail that will enable visitor's easy access to the adobe and grinding rock. The trail will include information about the history of the area with emphasis on the early Native Americans that used the area as part of their daily life. The Historical Society has reached out to the nearby tribes and will include their input in its interpretative efforts.

Submitted by Fallbrook Historical Society.