Bygone Hudson Valley

The original Clintondale schoolhouse was built in 1820 along South Street in the town of Lloyd, just over the Plattekill border. A newer schoolhouse was built in 1847, and stood for 50 years before being condemned. Land on a neighboring lot – this time in Plattekill – was purchased from Hallock Sutton in 1897 and a new schoolhouse was built, becoming District No. 11, Town of Plattekill. In 1910, the Clintondale school district purchased an adjoining parcel of property and a house from Mrs. Alida Sutton for the purpose of expanding the classroom space and providing a home for the principal. The “Annex” later housed two classrooms, a library and a kitchen. School centralization brought many changes. For a short period of time, older students were sent to the New Paltz High School but in 1958 Plattekill No. 11 became part of the Highland Central School District. Seventh and eighth grade Clintondale students were transferred to Highland, with younger students (including a kindergarten class for the first time) remained in Clintondale. The Clintondale School closed for good in 1962 and in 1970 the school building burned down in a suspicious fire.