Sylvan School, built in 1862, was one of the first rural schools in Sacramento County, though the first school in the Citrus Heights area was a private school on the Cross Farm. At the time, settlers had to support a private school before becoming eligible for public funds. Originally located at the northwest corner of Auburn Boulevard and Sylvan Road, Sylvan School’s first teacher, Alfred Spooner, taught forty students. The school property was divided by an imaginary line running north to south, with girls on one side and boys on the other. The original building had white clapboard siding, green shutters, and a single classroom with two small closets. Beyond its use as a schoolhouse, it also served for community meetings, church services, dance parties, and voting. In 1926, Guy Van Maren led a successful bond issue to build a new Sylvan School, and to make room for the larger facility, the original schoolhouse was moved to Sylvan Road for use as a community center. Adolph Van Maren donated it to the community in 1927, and it is held in a private trust.