90-Year-Old Schoolhouse Gets New Multi-Purpose Building

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

Using durable Tilcor roof tiles, Les and Larry easily install the roof on the schoolhouse’s newest addition.

Just outside Joshua Tree National Park in California sits a schoolhouse that was built more than 90 years ago.  It started as a one-room schoolhouse, and throughout the years, has had more rooms added onto it. Now it serves as a research library, houses historical exhibits, and has a gift shop inside.  It’s most recent addition is a multi-purpose building.

The schoolhouse has a unique history.  Twentynine Palms homesteaders wanted to build a school for their nine local students.  San Bernardino County denied them funds, so they took matters into their own hands.  The land, money, material, and labor were all donated and the one-room schoolhouse was completed in 1927.  Just four years later, they built an additional room. And in 1940, three more rooms were needed to accommodate over 90 students.  

The schoolhouse was also used as a community center where dances, town meetings, and religious services were held.  In 1954, the last classes were held and the building was used for offices and storage. Then in 1990, the building was offered to the Twentynine Palms Historical Society.  Now, it is the oldest public building that’s still in use in the Morongo Basin.

Tony Tiapon, Technical Manager of North America for Tilcor spoke with Les and Larry from the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, who installed the multi-purpose building on the Old Schoolhouse.  They did the installation themselves using Tilcor’s products.  

They explain to Tony that he was the reason they decided to use Tilcor CF Barkwood Shake.  Les and Larry appreciated that he helped them, talked to them, and guided them through the process of getting their needed supplies.  They share, “The best thing about this stuff is the way it went on. It went on fast and went on nice. It just all snaps on together from the very front edge to the very peak, and the cap that goes on it, and the trim pieces, and I can walk on it...It’s sturdy.  It’s an awesome product.”

29 Palms School House circa 1929

Tilcor is manufactured by the Ross Roof Group, who have been involved in the roofing industry since 1942.  Tilcor has been supplying architects, construction firms, and homeowners with superior metal roof tiles since 1989.  Their tiles are strong, can withstand the most extreme weather, and are aesthetically pleasing to look at. Installed in over 80 countries, Tilcor is a world leader in pressed metal tile roof for residential, light-commercial, and public works buildings.  

What makes their products so durable?  They’re made of a Zincalume protected steel substrate, which is then covered with either stone granules or an acrylic satin finish.  The CF Barkwood Shake was specifically designed for the North American market. Resembling traditional shake with a wood-grain appearance, these tiles are the most waterproof stone-coated steel shake on the market.  They interlock and overlap, protecting against the elements and resist wind uplift.

The ease of installment of the Tilcor roof tiles allowed Les and Larry to complete the installation themselves.  Having previously worked with metal roofs and shingle roofs, they were impressed with the strength and quality of the Tilcor products.  This historical building now has a roof that will be earthquake, fire, freeze and thaw resistant, and will be able to withstand hurricane-force winds up to 118mph.

Watch the video to hear more from Les and Larry and see the new roof on the multi-purpose room.