East Street School
Las Animas County
Constructed in 1919 to serve the growing primary school population in an expanding neighborhood some distance east of Trinidad’s center, the East Street School remained in operation for over 80 years. The prolific architectural firm of Isaac H. Rapp and William M. Rapp, responsible for numerous commercial, religious and residential buildings in Trinidad, designed the brick building. The Rapp brothers designed five public schools in Trinidad of which only two remain.
East Street School (2007 photograph.)
Unlike their previous schools which were multi-storied contained buildings, the architects created a sprawling one-story layout inspired from California. East Street School represents an innovation in school design that would become popular after World War II. The school reflects the Arts and Crafts movement in its one-story design, slightly stepped parapets, wall pilasters, and the use of contrasting darker brick for stringcourses and two-dimensional “strap-work” ornamentation. East Street School represents the diversity of styles in which Rapp & Rapp designed.