Foundation Project Final Report
The Schoolhouse Will be Rentable Again Soon!
On December 18, 2025 Phil Joy Housemoving lowered the historic Douglas Flat Schoolhouse in northern California near Angels Camp and Murphys, back down onto the new foundation, dead level with the Annex floor and within an inch front-to-back of where it had been.
Doesn’t she look proud!
The School building sitting on new piers and masonry wall with workers installing the final touches
Final Budget Report
The Foundation Stabilization Project cost $75,000 and took 29 weeks. DFCC used a combination of historic preservation grants and local fundraisers to pay for the project. The project is broken out by tasks and phases on the table below.
Budget table showing estimated and actual costs for tasks, and totals.
DFCC raised funds for 5 years to get the $75k used for the Foundation Stabilization Project. During the work DFCC could not rent the hall or hold our renowned annual dinner dance. Fortunately the Calaveras Community Foundation filled the gap with a $5,000 grant, and offered another $5,000 as a challenge grant. Director Gina Galloway spearheaded a direct appeal to our loyal supporters and raised the $5,000 in matching funds needed to claim the CCF challenge grant. In addition, our $100/inch fundraiser netted about a thousand bucks. Margaret Sloan Creative Services helped us get the word out for that with progress posts to social media and Press Releases that generated two articles in the local papers featuring DFCC’s work.
DFCC is heartened by the consistency and breadth of financial support we get from our community. As awareness for the Schoolhouse preservation grows in Calaveras County, we anticipate continued interest. Please contact DFCC1854@gmail.com to volunteer in this worthy project.
What’s Left to DO?
DFCC Volunteers have been working to re-attach the buildings and hook up the utilities to the historic Schoolhouse. Volunteers inserted 2x4 spacers and bolted the walls together. The ledger under the annex floor joists was reinstalled onto the schoolhouse rim girder. Gaps between framing members and the sill plate were shimmed and the two floor supports were firmly bolted to one another. A new pier was installed under the end of center girder where it was notched to slide inside the gable-end stem wall.
Picture of the historic exterior wall inside the Annex. Marks on the wall show the size of the former small annex room from the 1950s.
We framed the vents above the masonry wall and are preparing to rebuild the porch supports and stairs.
Vents framed to run pier-to-pier above the masonry wall.
Electrical Hook-up
The Main Breaker box with wiring to feed the lights and plugs in the historic building will be reconnected by Gold Electrical.
The electric lines need to be reconnected by Gold Electric, and while we’re at it, let’s rewire the light at the Annex door and put a GFI on the bathroom circuit. We still need to have two dedicated circuits available for the mini-splits planned to replace the wall heater.
Here’s the scope of work for the electrical that needs completion:
Electrical Needs for schoolhouse reconnect - 1/12/26
Rewire switch from back doorway of the historic building inner right side to a simple light fixture on the outside wall of the historic schoolhouse building, inside the annex.
Connect feed wire in the annex attic from the bathroom lights and plugs to the primary panel in the annex - check GFI if necessary.
Re-establish the second circuit for a mini split that was used to power the bathroom.
Re-connect feed wire from the main panel to the feed wire from the secondary panel in the schoolhouse.
Gas Lines
During the work the propane lines were cut. The pipes need to be reconnected before DFCC can rent the hall in February. The Douglas Flat Community Center (DFCC) will hire a licensed plumber to re-install propane gas lines under the historic Douglas Flat Schoolhouse and Annex.
There are three gas appliances; 1 a wall heater, 2 a fireplace stove/heater, and 3 an on-demand hot water heater. Much of the former piping is still in place but may need re-threading or replacing. Pipe runs of 13 feet and 8 feet will need to be re-hung from the floor joists.
The work will require either threading or replacing ¾ “ I.P.T pipe, replacing a 10-foot run of ¾ galvanized pipe previously used, and pipe-fitting all connections between the three locations. DFCC volunteers will assist as needed.
What’s NEXT?
When the historic Douglas Flat School is all hooked up and rentable, the Board of Trustees will prioritize the next preservation treatments - and there are many. Stay tuned and stay involved!