John Augustus Mathison, who retired from the British army in 1817, built this stone building as a school in 1824. It is thus the first official building in the community. John Benson, the first teacher, received his 20-pound annual salary from the Royal Society for the Advancement of Learning. Since the school was closed in 1847, on the passing of the first public education act, it has served as a courthouse, a church, a post office, a general store, a depanneur and now the private residence of 'Hank' and Liz Snow.