Mason Street School

The Mason Street School was San Diego's first public school and was open year-round. It was free to attend and the classroom was run by teacher Mary Chase Walker, who earned $65 a month to teach the children. The building was considered modern for its time and was heated by an iron stove and had a water bucket and dipper for plumbing. The school is now maintained by the Historical Days Association and is an historical landmark. Adult education classes about California history are occasionally held at the school. The room is still filled with its original furnishings. The school was built in 1865 and visitors can browse the books on display in the room or sit at the desks and experience what class was like during the late 19th century. The schoolroom is a popular destination for field trips, as well as those touring Old Town San Diego. Admission to the schoolroom is free and they are open everyday from 10 AM until 4 PM. There are a number of other historical markers and sites in the area near the school including the site of the first raising of the United States flag, the Estudillo House, Casa de Pedrorena de Altamirano, the birthplace of the San Diego Union and the Don Antonio Aguierre marker.