# Sam Houston Schoolhouse State Historic Site > A one-room log schoolhouse built in 1794 in Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee, where a young Sam Houston taught school around 1812 before serving in the War of 1812 and later becoming governor of both Tennessee and Texas. The site operates as a living-history museum with costumed interpreters, school and scout field trips, a gift shop, and a rentable event pavilion. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1972) and funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Historical Commission. Visitor information: - Address: 3650 Old Sam Houston School Rd., Maryville, TN 37804 - Phone: (865) 983-1550 - Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; closed Mondays - Seasonal closure: closed December 20, reopens March 4 - Holiday closures: Good Friday and Easter weekend (reopens the Tuesday after Easter), July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and all major holidays - Inclement weather: the site follows Blount County School System closure decisions Admission (as of January 1, 2026): - Ages 0–5: free - Ages 6–12: $3.00 per person - Ages 13 and up: $5.00 per person - Field trip participants, students and chaperones: $3.00 per person - Bus drivers: no charge What visitors experience: costumed museum interpreters answer questions about the schoolhouse, its artifacts, and the grounds. Hands-on colonial-era programming runs April through June and September through November, covering period lessons, colonial games, candle-making, corn grinding, quilting, and washboard laundering. School and scout field trips are a specialty. The gift shop carries crafts by local artisans and hard-to-find books about Sam Houston and Blount County by local authors. History: the schoolhouse was built around 1794 by Revolutionary War veteran Andrew Kennedy together with Henry McCulloch and other neighbors, in a clearing less than a mile from the Kennedy home and near a spring. It served the Blount County community for years, fell into disuse, and was restored over a roughly 10-year period. Event rentals: a 1,000-square-foot event center is available for weddings, receptions, birthdays, and reunions. It includes tables and chairs for 80 people, dining and serving tables, two restrooms, an updated kitchen with granite countertops, oven, sink and refrigerator, garbage cans with bags, and an outdoor BBQ pit. Weddings are $600 plus a $50 cleanup fee and include two full days for setup and ceremony, indoors or outdoors. Other events using the pavilion and grounds are $300 for a full day or $150 for a half day. Fees are due two weeks in advance, and cancellations require two weeks' notice for a refund. Pre-event visits can be scheduled Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Rental restrictions: no alcohol, no firearms, no fireworks, no smoking in any building, and no open flames except the pavilion fireplace, the outdoor fire pit and grill, and candles used in the pavilion away from curtains and linens. Food and drink are not permitted inside the schoolhouse itself. Activities must stay at least 20 feet from the schoolhouse building, and nothing may be nailed, taped, stapled, hung, or glued to the structure. Children must be accompanied by an adult in the schoolhouse and near water areas. Digging, removing plants, climbing trees, and climbing on the historic fences are prohibited. ## Main Pages - [Home](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/): Site overview, current season, hours, admission fees, gallery, and event rental details - [About Sam Houston](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/about-sam-houston): Biography of Sam Houston and his connection to the schoolhouse - [About the Schoolhouse](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/about-the-schoolhouse): History of the 1794 building, its community role, and its restoration - [About the Museum](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/museum): The museum collection, artifacts, and exhibits on site - [Group Tours & Field Trips](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/group-tours): Scheduling information for school groups, scout troops, and other organized visits - [Calendar](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/calendar): Upcoming events, living-history days, and seasonal programming - [Contact Us](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/contact-us): Email contact form for visitor questions and rental inquiries ## Support and Involvement - [Donate](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/donate): One-time and monthly giving; donations fund maintenance, improvements, landscaping, and promotional materials - [Volunteer](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/volunteer): Opportunities to help at the site - [Board of Directors](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/board): Governance and leadership of the Sam Houston Memorial Association ## History and Stories - [Sam Houston Blog Series](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/blog): Ongoing narrative series on Houston's life, covering his years among the Cherokee, his return to national politics, and his journey into Texas - [News](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/news): Site announcements and updates - [Tennessee Historic Sites](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/tn-historic-sites): Guide to other historic sites across Tennessee - [Tennessee Historical Commission](https://www.tn.gov/historicalcommission.html): The state agency under whose agreement the site is funded ## Optional - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sam.schoolhouse/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse/) - [Notifications](https://www.samhoustonhistoricschoolhouse.org/notifications)