How to teach an old schoolhouse new tricks

Kids are back in school, and adults can return in their own way, too: An old schoolhouse in Palestine, TX, has been turned into Elmwood Place, a wellness retreat renovated over more than a decade by Pilates instructor Melody Morton-Buckleair. Here’s how she pulled it off and the lessons she learned along the way.

What inspired you to purchase an old schoolhouse? “In 2012, I bought a falling-down, overgrown two-room schoolhouse built in the early 1900s that had once served as a rural classroom. Later, it became the home of a beloved teacher named Aunt Ruth. I bought the property for $415,000, but the schoolhouse was considered ‘no value’ on paper. It was too far gone. The roof leaked, the floors sagged, and the windows were still wrapped in plastic. But I didn’t see a teardown. I saw a place with soul, a place I could bring back to life. After my divorce, I held on to 33 acres and the schoolhouse, then got to work.”

What challenges did you face renovating the property? “Everything needed fixing: the roof, windows, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, all of it. I tackled it piece by piece while raising two boys and running my Pilates studio. Over the past decade, I’ve invested about $200,000 into restoring it and adding modern infrastructure: solar power, a generator, a gas stove, a potbellied stove, new floors, HVAC, and more. I added two tiny homes, a koi pond, gardens, walking trails, a barn, and a pool. It wasn’t just a construction project; it felt sacred, like I was preserving a piece of living history.”

What is this property like today? “This schoolhouse somehow became a teacher again, hosting classes in nervous system healing, movement, and embodied leadership. We’ve had baptisms, bonfires, and quiet porch conversations under the stars. More than once, a guest has said, ‘I came here for Pilates, but I left with something deeper.’ This old schoolhouse still teaches in its own way, just not with chalk and desks anymore.”

How has it done as an investment? “The property was recently evaluated at close to $1 million, and brings in about $5,000 to $7,000 per month, depending on the season, for wellness retreats and weddings. We’re planning a tiny-home wellness village on the remaining 18 acres. The rest of the original land is being held for my sons’ future.”

What did you learn taking on this project, and what advice do you have for others? “Take your time. Let the land show you what it wants to become. If you’re renovating a place with history, honor it. Do what you can yourself. It deepens the relationship between you and the land. My own story is stitched into the soil here. My grandfather was sheriff of Anderson County, and my mom grew up nearby. The land remembers.”

Want extra credit? Take a virtual tour of Elmwood’s transformation below.