Client: 1897 Events
Location: 6610 W Lake Rd. Fairview, PA
Dates: Original building — 1897; Renovations complete — 2015
Size: 2,700 SF
National Register of Historic Places: Individually listed.
Tax Credits: Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits
Honors: Preservation Award for Adaptive Reuse, Erie County Historical Society — 2015
The project involved renovation of this historic one-room schoolhouse into a modern event venue called The Schoolhouse with The Swan Tavern on the lower level. The original interior floor plan and finishes were retained, including wood floors, wainscoting, bookcases, and blackboards — preserving the structure’s historical atmosphere. The building’s exterior was maintained, the original slate roof was repaired, and new windows were installed that more accurately match the original configuration and detail.
Manchester Schoolhouse No. 3 was built in 1897 at the intersection of Lake and Dutch roads in Fairview Township. This brick, one-room schoolhouse replaced a frame building located east of Manchester Road on Lake Road, named the “Swan Schoolhouse” after Richard Swan. A prominent member of the community and Revolutionary War veteran, Swan’s original log home served both as the local school and tavern. The 1897 brick building was used as a school until 1958, an antique shop between 1970 and 1980, and a florist between 1980–2007. The florist added a kitchen and bathroom and installed a staircase to the basement in the northwest corner. The building was then left vacant between 2007 and 2015.
