History of the Reese School

Reese School District was formed in 1884 when the school building was built. The school originally sat on Bradshaw Road one half mile south of the Traction Line, on land donated by the Reese family, where the foundation remains still. It started out as a one room school and as enrollment increased in the 1930s a smaller second room was added to the back of the school. It served the farm families of the area for years including many of the areas early Japanese families. When the Reese School District joined Pleasant Grove District there was no longer a need for the building. In 1949 it was moved by George Brooks to his hop ranch on Freeman Road, where it stands today, and was used as a cookhouse. Russell Newland is now donating the school to the Historical Society for restoration. Built of heart redwood, with the words “Reese School” still clearly visible above the ornate doorway, the once grand lady has definitely seen better days. The decorative arches over the two front windows that echoed the doorway are gone, as is most of the roof and in turn parts of the ceiling. The west wall will need shored up for the arduous move down the road. It is listed a historical building in Sacramento County and is one of the last original schools left in our area. At least three others; Point Pleasant, Lee and the second Elk Grove School still exist but they have been transformed into homes and are being lived in, making restoration even harder. A fourth school was located on the Foulks Ranch and had so many modifications that restoration would have been very difficult if not impossible. Named for the Reese family of Florin the history of the school is very much tied to one of the early pioneer families of our area. The family of John Reese and Elizabeth Anthony came from Llsaint, Carmarthenshire, Wales and in fact, their son, David Reese, who has a present day school named after him was born there in 1849. They came to America in 1852/53 via New Orleans and then proceeded up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers for Kansas City and then to Salt Lake City. It was while crossing the plains, they lost one son, Thomas. Reese is a name that is well recognized in the Florin and Elk Grove areas. The family made their way to California in 1860, after a short stay in Utah, in a Prairie Schooner. After arriving in California, the family settled in San Joaquin Township where David Reese became one of the most prominent citizens of Sacramento County. A charter member of the Florin Grange and the Odd Fellows Society of Florin, he was also instrumental in organizing the California Fruit Union and later the Florin Fruit Growers Association. The Society envisions the restored school as serving as a much needed building for their activities and meetings. The walls of the two rooms will be adorned with displays depicting the rich history of the school and the Florin area, while the main part of the rooms will serve the Society’s needs.