Gabriels School, abandoned. Photo by A. C. Hotaling The Gabriels School was located on New York Route 86, backed by windswept potato fields near the Tucker Farms. It was built in 1901, and demolished in 1994. The Gabriels School was designated Common School District No. 4, Brighton.
It started as a one-room log building located between the Split Rock Road and the Gabriels-Onchiota Road. It burned at an early date and was replaced by a frame building. By 1901, the second school was deemed too small, at which point it was bought by Fred Martin who moved it across the road; it was expanded, and became the home of Charles Martin. The school which replaced it had two rooms, to which a third was later added.
The Rainbow Lake School was considered to be essentially a branch of the Gabriels School. 1
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, December 24, 1999
History on the original Gabriels Schoolhouse
By DEBORAH J. DONALDSON
Several miles out of town heading towards Gabriels on your right, is the Split Rock Road which again was the old road. Taking that and coming out on the north side of the road there is a green house that once was the stagecoach stop. That corner used to be called Colby Corners, as the people by the name of Colby owned the Stagecoach Inn, where the stagecoach stopped. Going left and heading towards Gabriels you will see where the Gabriels schoolhouse used to be. It was on your left before starting into Gabriels, by Leavitt's and Tucker's potato fields.
The first Gabriels schoolhouse was built in 1872. This one burned and the second one was built at the same location. In 1900 that schoolhouse was purchased by Fred Martin, Frank Martin's grandfather. Fred moved the schoolhouse across the road and up a short distance towards Gabriels to be used for his family home. That house is still there.
In 1900 the third schoolhouse was built at the same site. This was a two room schoolhouse. In 1934 a third classroom was added at the back. This schoolhouse had a furnace in the basement, running water and toilets inside. Teachers Frank Martin remembers were Mrs. Gert Otis, Frances Bunker, and Reginald Russell. The Gabriels school was no longer used after 1968.
The bell tower from the Gabriels schoolhouse went to the St. Marie house in Vermontville. Roger Symonds from Vermontville bought the lumber from the 1934 addition to be used for himself.
Footnotes
1. The Brighton Story, p. 71-3
