ONTONAGON COUNTY

Thank you to Bruce Johanson (Ontonagon County Historical Museum) for helping us locate one-room schools in Ontonagon County.  I can’t wait to return to the U.P. and add those schoolhouses to my blog!

Carp Lake Township School

LOCATION:  Halfway River Road

Midway between Ontonagon and Silver City is the community of Green. West of Green (which is located near the intersection of Townline Road and M-64) is Halfway River Road – From M-64 turn south and go 4/10’s of a mile on Halfway River Road.  School is on the left side of the road.

YEARS USED AS SCHOOL:  I have two conflicting pieces of information.  One says that this one-room schoolhouse was used from 1906-1922 at which time a larger school house was constructed.  The second source indicates the school was built in 1913 and used until 1959.
Current Use:  Unknown - the last use was the Carp Lake Township Hall.

Interior Township Elementary School (aka Little Old Schoolhouse)

LOCATION:  103 Old M-28, Trout Creek  

(East of Bruce Crossing and west of Kenton is the town of Trout Creek.  From M-28 turn right onto Division Road and drive a few blocks to down town Trout Creek.  

Current Use:  Interior Township Hall.  

Gem School (1908-1925)

LOCATION:  13937 US-41, Bruce Crossing in Stannard Township

Current Use:  Restaurant

Syrja School (1910-?)

LOCATION:  5362 M-28, Bruce Crossing in Stannard Township
Current Use:  Church

Beck School

LOCATION: 16536 Firesteel Road in Ontonagon Township

(northwest corner of Firesteel Road and Beck Road)

Current Use: Private Residence

North Flintsteel (aka Red) School

LOCATION: 17937 Firesteel Road in Ontonagon Township

Current Use: Unknown

Woodspur School

LOCATION: Northwest corner of Mountain View Road and US-45 in Ontonagon Township

Current Use: Abandoned

BENZIE COUNTY

McKinstry School (1875)

LOCATION:  3760 Mick Rd, Frankfurt in Blaine Township

Current Use:   Privately owned BUT it is a Bed & Breakfast - check the Old Red Schoolhouse website for availability!

Frederickson School (1891)

LOCATION: 4527 M-22, Section 24 in Blaine Township

(on east side of road between Herring Lake Roads and adjacent to Upper Herring Lake Nature Preserve)

Current Use: Unknown

Corner Grove (District No. 2) School

LOCATION: Corner of Grace Road (aka CR 606) and M-22, in Section 2, Gilmore Township

(on Grace Road across from Gilmore Township Cemetery)

Current Use: Private Residence

Morgan School (1868-1950)

LOCATION:  9971 Esch Road in Section 7, Platte Township

(at the corner of Esch Road and Indian Hill Road – east of M-22)

Current Use:  Grange Hall?

Platte No. 2 Drake School (1891-1943)

LOCATION:  Corner of Fowler Road (aka CR 610) and Valley Road (aka CR 677, Honor in Section 16, Platte Township

Current Use:  Museum operated by the Benzie Area Historical Society

Thomas A. Edison (or West Almira) School (??-1963)

LOCATION:  Corner of Maple City Highway (aka CR 669) and Fowler Road (aka CR 610) - Almira Road may change to Fowler Road at this point - in Section 16, Almira Township

Current Use:  Private residence

Bendon (or Inland) School (1888)

LOCATION:  Corner of Bendon Road (aka CR 665) and US-31 (aka Benzie Hwy & Honor Hwy) in Inland Township

It is next to the Inland Baptist Church which is located at 19915 Honor Hwy

Current Use:  Abandoned

Nessen City School (1892)

Before and After Pictures 

 LOCATION:  Southeast corner of Karlin Rd and Rockford Rd, Nessen City in Section 34, Colfax Township

According to the owner, the original school was two-stories but the second story was removed around 1938 to save on heating costs.  In May of 2017, I returned to this schoolhouse to photograph its restoration progress.

Current Use:  Privately owned - purchased in 2014 and restored for family and community gatherings.

David Grayson School (1864)

LOCATION:  1041 Pioneer Rd in Section 33, Homestead Township

(southwest corner of Pioneer Road and Homestead Road)

Current Use:  Private Residence

Unknown School (1877-1894)

LOCATION:  845 South Michigan Avenue (aka US-31), in Benzonia

(northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Walker Street)

Current Use:  Residence or Small Business

If you know anything about this former schoolhouse, please leave a message in the COMMENT section following this post. 

Wallin School

LOCATION:  17067 Wallin Road in Section 16, Colfax Township

(southeast corner of Wallin Road and Long Road)

CURRENT USE:  Wallin Community Club

INGHAM COUNTY

Pink School (1854-1965)

Exterior and Interior

LOCATION:  707 W Ash Street, Mason

(near the Cedar Street Elementary School and in front of Bicentennial Park on Ash Street)

Current Use:  Museum

The school has always been pink.  It was originally at the corner of College and Columbia Roads and was moved to this location in 1976.  It was designated a Michigan Historical Site August 24, 1978. 

Phillips Standard School (1885-1957)

 Front and Back of Phillips School

Interior of Phillips School

LOCATION:  1975 Hagadorn Rd, Mason (corner of Holt and Hagadorn Roads

In the town of Mason, Hagadorn Road is called Jefferson Street.

This brick school replaced the original 1865 wood building. 

Current Use:  Business – Discount Trees

Randall School (1883-1975)

 Randall School - Exterior and Interior

LOCATION:  5151 Marsh Road, Okemos

Originally located in Conway Township (north of Fowlerville), the schoolhouse was moved to the Meridian Historical Village in 1987.

Current Use:  Museum - part of Meridian Historical Village

Refer to my Blog Post on Meridian Historical Village for more photos and information by clicking on the following link:   

Denice's Meridian Historical Village Blog

WEXFORD COUNTY

Carpenter School (1873-1938)

LOCATION:  corner of 16 ½ and 39 Mile Roads in Section 7, Cedar Creek Township

Current Use:  Carpenter Chapel

East Gilbert District No. 4 School (1878-1955)

LOCATION:  2530 N 41 ½ Road (near the corner of 20 ½ and 41 ½ Mile Roads) in Section 21, Cedar Creek Township

Current Use: Cedar Creek Township Hall

Greenwood District No. 1 School (1874-1967)

LOCATION:  6761 35 Mile Road in Section 35, Greenwood Township

A little south of the intersection of 12 Mile and 35 Mile roads

Current Use:  Greenwood Township Hall

Rollins School (1889-1955)

LOCATION:  Corner of M-42 and 47 Mile Road, in Section 11, Cedar Creek Township

(Across the street from Rollins Church which is located at 10975 E M 42, Manton)
Current Use:  Grange Hall

Soper School (built 1871)

LOCATION:  on M-42 (aka 16 Mile Road) in Section 6, Colfax Township

(approximate area of N 27 Road)

Current Use:  Private Residence

Hector (District No. 5) School (1908)

LOCATION:  6997 44 Road, Cadillac in Section 18, Clam Lake Township

(southwest corner of East 44 Rd and South 39 Rd)

Current Use:  For Sale - Commercial Property (as of August 2016)

WAYNE COUNTY

Scotch Settlement School (1861)

   

LOCATION:  Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood, Dearborn

This school was moved to Greenfield Village in 1929.

Current Use:  Museum

William Holmes McGuffey School (1934)

LOCATION:  Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood, Dearborn

Current Use:  Museum

According to TheHenryFord.org website, “This log schoolhouse represents the design of schools found in frontier areas of Michigan in the 1840's.  It was constructed in Greenfield Village in 1934 from the logs of the Holmes family’s barn in western Pennsylvania, the birthplace of educator William Holmes McGuffey.”

A favorite of Henry Ford, the McGuffey Readers was a series of textbooks that were widely used in schools during the mid-1800’s.  The Readers taught the fundamental skills of reading and writing using stories that included a wide range of subjects along with a moral or character lesson. 

NEWAYGO COUNTY

Dickinson School (?-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION:  Corner of Alger Avenue and 136^th Street, Section 31 in Ashland Township

Current Use:  Privately owned and abandoned

Shaw (Bell) School (?-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION: Northeast corner of Warner Avenue and 11 Mile Road, Section 1 in Beaver Township

I also saw this school location referred to as the Hardscrabble School

Current Use: Storage?

Barton School (about 1880-1932)

LOCATION:  Northeast corner of 20^th Street and Pine Avenue in Big Prairie Township

It was originally located at 12^th and Locust in Big Prairie Township. 

Current Use:  Historic Site

The Big Prairie Historic Society is in the process of developing a historic park on this 40-acre parcel of land.  Currently it includes the Barton School, a Grange Hall and a replica of the Big Prairie Church.   Restoration work is on-going.

Schenck School (?-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION:  Corner of 96th Street and Warner Avenue, Section 1 in Bridgeton Township
Current Use:  Vacant

Oak Grove (District No. 3) School (1920-1968)

LOCATION: 6382 E 80^th Street, Section 20 in Croton Township

Northwest corner of Elm Avenue and East 80^th Street

Michigan Historic Site: June 30, 1988

Current Use: Private Residence

Crandall School (?-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION: Southwest corner of 136^th Street and Beech Avenue, Section 35 in Ensley Township

Current Use: Private Residence

Flowing Well (#8) School

LOCATION: Southeast corner of 104^th Street and Locust Avenue, Section 8 in Ensley Township

Current Use: Private Residence

Frey School (?-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION: 5598 136^th Street, Section 31 in Ensley Township

Southwest corner of 136^th Stret and Locust Avenue

Current Use: Privately Owned

Hillman (#1) School (?-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION: Southeast corner of 104^th Street and Cypress Avenue, Section 10 in Ensley Township

Current Use: Private Residence

Kinney (District No. 1) School (1890)

Kinney School Plaque

LOCATION: Southwest corner of 104^th Steet and Beech Avenue, Section 11 in Ensley Township

Current Use: Private Residence

Fry School

LOCATION:  Oak Avenue and 28^th Street, Section 24 in  Everett Township

Current Use:  Vacant

Bitely District No. 5 School

LOCATION: 9284 N Bingham, Bitely, Section 27 in Lilley Township

Michigan Historic Site: July 15, 1999

Current Use: Bitely Boys Riders Club

  

Birch Grove School (1895)

LOCATION: 3962 N Felch Road, White Cloud, Section 11 in Lincoln Township

(near the intersection of Five Mile Road and Felch Road)

Michigan Historic Site: October 2, 1980

Current Use: North Country Trail Association

Woodland Park School (??-1961 or 1962)

LOCATION: 2316 11 Mile Road, Section 10 in Merrill Township

(on the south side of the road near the intersection of Bingham & 11 Mile Roads)

Current Use: Historic Site

Van Korlaar (spelling?) School (?-1962)

LOCATION:  On Warner Avenue south of 64^th Street near Fremont, Section 13 in Sheridan Township

Current Use:  Private Home

River Valley School

LOCATION:  1795 N Evergreen, White Cloud (Evergreen is M-37), Section 20 in Wilcox Township

(just north of 2 Mile Road on west side)

Current Use:  Wilcox Township Hall

According to a guest comment, the Grant School (#19) at the corner of 132nd & Spruce) was torn down.