Toll Gate School (1867 - 1973)

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Moorefield, West Virginia was a thriving community that prided itself on its education and sense of community. Though originally just a two-room schoolhouse, Toll Gate School educated many. Its present day quiet and quaint appearance is a stark contrast to what was once a bustling and thriving schoolhouse. Those who attended remember it affectionately as a place of learning, laughter, and social fun.

This is a Mountain Heritage Trails project made possible through the support of the Hardy County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area AmeriCorps program, and the West Virginia University Fulcrum Project.

Heritage Trail Project Coordinator: Shefa Nola Benoit

Researchers: Megan Nielson & Shefa Nola Benoit

This information is sourced from: Whitson, Suzanne W. Early Hardy County, WV Schools: The 1976 Bicentennial Project, 2008.

Toll Gate School was a place of learning remembered fondly, but its initial start date is unknown. It is recalled by not only those who passed through her doors but also the Moorefield community. The original structure, a two-room schoolhouse, had its side facing Route 220 with two doors that lead into the school. On the same grounds was a large field that many children used as a playground before school and during recess.  

During its existence, Toll Gate School did not have plumbing. Instead the school had two outhouses. One for the boys and one for the girls. Water was also carried, presumably by bucket, down a hill from Mr. Carl Welton’s home.

The water collected from the well also served as drinking water and was put into a crockery cooler. The cooler then sat in the school’s coat room. Each student had their own cup that they could either bring from home or make at school with paper. For many students it was a thing of pride to have the biggest or best looking cup. Some students had more than one cup. 

For heating, the schoolhouse had a long flat iron stove that burned either coal or wood. The community surrounding the school often donated wood. A fire was started each morning by a student janitor who was also expected to keep up the rest of the schoolhouse. His efforts were rewarded monthly by receiving a small payment. For many, the schoolhouse was the center of community fun and would host multiple holiday events, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving programs; something that both students and their families could enjoy. The Toll Gate School officially closed its doors in 1973, but the building is still currently in use.

Moorefield Bicentennial Committee. Glancing Backward: A Pictorial History of Moorefield. Moorefield, West Virginia: Moorefield Examiner, 1977.

West Virginia. State Dept. of Education. The School Dollar: an analysis of public school financing and related statistics in West Virginia, 1971-72. Charleston, West Virginia, Dept. of Education, 1973.

Whitson, Suzanne W. Early Hardy County, WV Schools: The 1976 Bicentennial Project, 2008.

Schools. Hardy County Board of Education. “Schools, Hardy County Board of Education, Records [Electronic Resource],” January 1, 1866.