From Schoolhouse to McCormick House 

The “McCormick House” is a structure located in Lower Gwynedd at the corner of Old Penllyn Pike and Wister Avenue, on the corner of Ingersoll Park.  Although it has recently been referred to by the name of its last private owners, the property has a deeper historical significance tied to the development of education in Lower Gwynedd Township.

Prior to its identification as the McCormick House, the site was home to one of the Township’s original one-room schoolhouses. The building was in service from approximately 1888 to 1923. Notably, the school was attended by both black and white students, representing an early example of integration within the community. 

Pictures of the original schoolhouse have been difficult to locate; however, a photograph of the Dager School, another integrated one-room schoolhouse in the Township, can be viewed in the gallery below for historical reference. 

While the site’s history is significant, the current structure on the property no longer resembles the original schoolhouse and does not provide a meaningful way to convey the site’s historical importance or the stories associated with it. 

Property Evaluation & Existing Conditions

The Township acquired the property in 2021 and initially utilized only the detached garage portion for storage purposes.

In 2024, the Township retained GKO Architects to evaluate the structure and determine what would be required to preserve and restore the building. In their final report, GKO Architects concluded that the property could potentially be renovated for public use as a small community center containing two moderately sized meeting rooms and two bathrooms.

However, the report also identified “multiple structural, maintenance, and site work related issues that would need to be addressed.” The estimated cost for renovation was approximately $2.4 million dollars, which was ultimately determined to be prohibitively expensive for the limited public use the building could provide.

Help Preserve the School’s Story & Legacy 

The Township is seeking assistance from residents, community members, and descendants of former students to help document the history of the Gwynedd/Penllyn School. The Township welcomes photographs, historical documents, personal stories, transcripts, newspaper articles, and other artifacts related to the school or site. 

Historical materials will continue to be accepted until a final design is approved. 

Materials and inquiries may be submitted to: 

John Farrell, Project Manager 
jfarrell@lowergwynedd.org 

Coming Up

The Board of Supervisors will discuss the next steps for the historic schoolhouse at their meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

The Historic Schoolhouse today

Location of Historic Schoolhouse

Pictured above is Helen Moore, who graduated from the historic schoolhouse and later returned to serve the community as a teacher and principal in Lower Gwynedd schools for 13 years.