The property for the Fruitvale School was given by Larkin Green Fowler between 1882 and 1889. An early day rancher of the area, Mr. Fowler was born on the corner of Larkin and Green Streets in San Francisco when it was a dairy. Later he trailed a herd of dairy cattle from the Santa Rosa Area to the Fruitvale area ranch. He corralled them the last night before reaching the Fruitvale Ranch, on what is now the block next to the railroad between Fifth and Sixth Streets on G Street in Lincoln. (The Fruitvale area is northeast of Lincoln on the north side of Fruitvale Road and a few hundred yards west of Garden Bar Road, according to Jerry Logan in his book “Western Placer County and Lincoln, According to History, Vol. 2 (1901-1950)” where the school is still located, now used as a community hall).
Mr. Logan also indicates that in 1901, the school had 37 pupils taught by Mrs. Elizabeth McRae. In 1903 Mamie Bartlett took over and by then Anna Christiansen was there.
The 1976 Western Placer County School Ties article goes on to explain that in the beginning it was a one room school with two outhouses, one for girls and one for boys. A very short time later a wood shed and a place for shelter for horses of the students was built on the east side.
About 1923 the second room was built at right angles to the west of the first room. The shed roof was added to the back to accommodate the indoor toilets and a storage room before 1912. The boys entered from the west side while the girls entered through the storage room from the big room or from the east side door. An ante-room to hold a sink, watering fountain and a coat rack was added between the porch and the second room.
Around 1921, a Boy Scout troop was started at Fruitvale. Lloyd McMains was the Scoutmaster with Kay Takemoto the assistant. . . .There were 10 to 12 boys at the meetings.
When the school consolidated with the Lincoln School District in June of 1946, the trustees made the provision that the building and grounds were to be kept for the use of the community . . .the facilities were leased by the school district to a Community Hall Association for the sum of $41.00 a year at the beginning and $57.00 per year in 1970.
The school district began searching for ways to divest itself of surplus property.
. . .A bill was sent before the State Assembly in Sacramento by Assemblyman Eugene Chappie of Cool to give the property to the residents of the community. However. . . .because of ramifications within the state structure, it was withdrawn.
Finally Orrin Hoffman, Superintendent of the now Western Placer Unified School District, working with the Placer County Counsel came up with a resolution which put the property to bid to a Fruitvale hall Corporation formed by residents of the Fruitvale School District alumni of the school and members of the clubs using the building. They bought the property for $50.00 on July 30, 1971. It is being used for 4-H clubs, community clubs and other community events.