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YESTERYEAR

Look inside Arizona's oldest in-use schoolhouse in Buckeye

As Buckeye booms in the Southwest Valley, treasures like the 1910 Schoolhouse keep the past alive and well

Loretta Zumbro, who has been with Liberty Elementary School District since 1986, looks through original student attendance registers at the 1910 Schoolhouse that has since been restored as a museum on the Buckeye campus.

Loretta Zumbro, who has been with Liberty Elementary School District since 1986, looks through original student attendance registers at the 1910 Schoolhouse that has since been restored as a museum on the Buckeye campus.

(Sun Life Magazine/Steve Stockmar)

The original Liberty School was built in 1910. It ranks as the oldest in-use schoolhouse in the state of Arizona.

The original Liberty School was built in 1910. It ranks as the oldest in-use schoolhouse in the state of Arizona.

(Sun Life Magazine/Steve Stockmar)

This undated photo is on display inside Liberty School.

This undated photo is on display inside Liberty School.

(Sun Life Magazine/Steve Stockmar)

Loretta Zumbro stands in the front of the classroom inside Liberty School, which also features a life-size mannequin of a teacher dressed in period clothes.

Loretta Zumbro stands in the front of the classroom inside Liberty School, which also features a life-size mannequin of a teacher dressed in period clothes.

(Sun Life Magazine/Steve Stockmar)

A look toward the back of the old classroom, including, at right, a teacher’s office.

A look toward the back of the old classroom, including, at right, a teacher’s office.

(Sun Life Magazine/Steve Stockmar)

In the teacher’s office in the rear of the classroom Loretta Zumbro shows the old rope that still hangs from which to ring the schoolhouse bell. The district still rings the bell to this day on the first and the last days of the school year.

In the teacher’s office in the rear of the classroom Loretta Zumbro shows the old rope that still hangs from which to ring the schoolhouse bell. The district still rings the bell to this day on the first and the last days of the school year.

(Sun Life Magazine/Steve Stockmar)

Editor's note: This article originally appeared in Sun Life Magazine, an Independent Newsmedia publication.

The word is out about Buckeye and has been for a while now.

The southwest Valley city has spent the past few years consistently showing up among the fastest-growing communities in the U.S. As recently as October 2024, GOBankingRates.com, a finance industry tracker, analyzed data to come up with the fastest-growing suburbs in the country.

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