The George K. Heller School, also known as the Cheltenham Center for the Arts, is a historic

school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...

building located in Ashmead Village,

Cheltenham Township Cheltenham Township is a home rule township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cheltenham's population density ranges from over 10,000 per square mile (25,900 per square kilometer) in rowhouses and high-rise apartments along Chelte ...

, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was originally built in 1883 to house the first Cheltenham High School, and expanded in 1893 and 1906. Later additions took place between 1963 and 1969, after it was converted to the Cheltenham Center for the Arts. The stone school building ranges from 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-stories and has intersecting gable roofs. The roof is topped by a square

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome. The word derives, via Italian, from ...

. A school was located on this site as early as 1795 and it was considered the oldest public school site in continuous use at the time of its closing in 1953. ''Note:'' This includes It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2001.

History and architectural features

With educational activities having taken place on this site as early as 1795, this historic property was considered by historians to the oldest public school site in continuous use in the region at the time of its closing in 1953. Built on this site in 1883, the George K. Heller School (Cheltenham Center for the Arts) was designed to house the first Cheltenham High School; it was then subsequently expanded in 1893 and 1906 with other additions erected in 1963 and 1969 after the structure was converted to the Cheltenham Center for the Arts. Ranging from 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-stories, this stone school has intersecting gable roofs, topped by a square

. ''Note:'' This includes

Placement on the National Register of Historic Places

The NRHP nomination application for the George K. Heller School was formally reviewed by Pennsylvania's Historic Preservation Board at its March 13, 2001 meeting at 9:45 a.m. at the State Museum in Harrisburg. Also considered for NRHP status at this time were the:

Protection of the Flag Monument The Protection of the Flag Monument (also known as the "Defense of the Flag Monument") is a historic war memorial located in Academy Park at 715 South Main Street in Athens, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Designed in the Classical Revival style by ...

in Athens, Pennsylvania; Normandy Farm and

Upper Roxborough Historic District Upper Roxborough Historic District is a national historic district located in Philadelphia and Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses 108 contributing buildings, 23 contributing sites, and 18 contributing structures ...

in Montgomery County;

Awbury Historic District The Awbury Historic District is a historic area in the Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, East Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the former summer homes and farms of the extended Cope family, who moved to ...

and Harris/Laird, Schober & Company Building in Philadelphia; Michael Derstine Farmstead in Bucks County;

Chester Heights Camp Meeting Historic District The Chester Heights Camp Meeting Historic District is a historic Methodist camp meeting and national historic district located in Chester Heights, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 101 contributing buildings, which were designe ...

in Delaware County;

John Nicholas and Elizabeth Moyer House The John Nicholas and Elizabeth Moyer House, also known as Richland, is a historic home located in Jefferson Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Built circa 1817, it is a -story, four-over-four stone dwelling. A stone summer kitchen, which w ...

in Berks County;

William Shelly School and Annex The William Shelly School and Annex, also known as the Eberton School, is a historic school building and annex located in West York, York County, Pennsylvania. Built circa 1897, the Shelly Annex was initially designed as a one-room school, but was ...

in York County; and the

Zeta Psi Fraternity House The Zeta Psi Fraternity House at Lafayette College is a historic house located on the campus of Lafayette College in Easton, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The house was built by the Tau Chapter of the Zeta Psi fraternity between 1909 and 19 ...

in Northampton County.George K. Heller School, in
Historical and Museum Commission: National Register Nominations to be Considered by the Historic Preservation Board
" in ''Pennsylvania Bulletin'', Vol. 31, No. 6, February 10, 2001, p. 893. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, retrieved online October 12, 2019. This historic school was then officially listed on the

later in 2001.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heller, George K., School School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Schools in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania 1883 establishments in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania