Michigan One Room Schoolhouses: ALPENA COUNTY

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

ALPENA COUNTY

Green School (1895-1961)

LOCATION: Besser Museum, 491 Johnson St, Alpena

This school was donated to the Besser Museum in 1981 and has been restored to circa 1900.

Current Use: Museum

Hunt School

LOCATION: 1041 Paul Road, Hillman (Original address was 18951 M-32 W)
It is located at the southeast corner of M-32 and Paul Road
Current Use: Privately Owned

According to the Alpena County Equalization Department, "The Board of Education Green Township received the property December 17, 1912 recorded in Liber 49 Page 294 in the Register of Deed's office."

Greenwood School (1880)/Site

LOCATION: Corner of Donald Road and Nevins Road in Long Rapids Township

Current Use: Existing bell tower represents this site as the school’s location

Leer School (circa 1928-1950’s

LOCATION: 10206 Leer Road (between Olsen Road and Carr Road) in Long Rapids Township

Second house north of Olsen Road on west side of road

Current Use: Private Residence

Norwegian School (1882-1928)/Site

LOCATION: On Leer Road just north of Maple Lane Road in Long Rapids Township

Look for sign on east side of road

Current Use: Site with stone foundation

Thank you to Linda who writes the history for the Leer Heritage Foundation (Facebook page) for information regarding the Greenwood, Leer, and Norwegian Schools.

Bolton School

LOCATION: 7210 LaComb Road, Alpena in Maple Ridge Township

NE Corner of LaComb Road and Bolton Road

Current Use: Private Residence

Hinton School

LOCATION: NW Corner of Maple Lane Road and Kasubowski Road in Maple Ridge Township

Current Use: Residence-Camp

Poland School

LOCATION: NE Corner of Cathro Road and Maple Lane Road in Maple Ridge Township

Current Use: Storage

Spain School

LOCATION: 8498 Cathro Road in Maple Ridge Township

NW Corner of Cathro Road and Wooster Road (west side of road)

Current Use: Private Residence

Beaudoin School

LOCATION: 7991 Beaver Lake Road in Ossineke Township

SE Corner of Beaver Lake Road and Beaudoin Road

Current Use: Storage

Loomis School (1902-?)

LOCATION: 10815 Beaver Lake Rd in Ossineke Township

½ mile west of Heron Road (on south side of Beaver Lake Road between Herron and Gries Roads) in Ossineke Township

Current Use: Private Residence - Year built provided by current resident

Witt School

LOCATION: NW Corner of Nicholson Hill Road and Bartz Road in Ossineke Township

Current Use: For Sale as of Aug 2016

Reider School

LOCATION: NE Corner of Reider School Road and Traux Road in Wellington Township

Current Use: Unknown

Bunker School (1914 – on building)

LOCATION: On Indian Reserve Road (west side) between Precour Road and Rouleau Road in Wilson Township -Across the road from 7483 Indian Reserve Road (church)

Current Use: Abandoned

While driving around Alpena County, we noted the status on the following one room schools:

- Fletcher Dam on Four Mile Road n Alpena Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Long Rapids School on M-65 in Long Rapids Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Guernsey School on corner of Dietz & Irwin Road in Long Rapids Township (an abandoned multi- room school is on this corner) – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- White School near corner of Graham & Fitzpatrick Roads in Long Rapids Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Orchard Hill School Orchard Hill/Ellsworth Roads in Maple Ridge Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Killien or Kollien School on Reider School Road (west of Collins Road) in Wellington Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

2 comments:

Rita GohlMay 20, 2024 at 6:16 AM
The old Long Rapids School is now a residence. If I can get more exact info, I'll put it here. I believe it's near the corner of Leer Road and m-65.
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Rita GohlMay 20, 2024 at 6:17 AM
There was a Brown School that is about a 1/2 mile north of Thorne Rd on M-65. It is a residence now as well.
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Michigan One-Room Schoolhouses

I enjoy traveling and history and I document everything through another hobby – photography. Among my favorite subjects to photograph are one-room schoolhouses.

Okay, I am going to date myself but I attended a one-room school (Price School in Victor Township, Clinton County). The building was sold a long time ago and a field of corn now grows where the schoolhouse once stood. If anyone has a photo of Price School I would love to receive a copy!!

Those schoolhouses that have survived may now serve as museums through preservation efforts by local historical societies. Some have been converted into private residences, businesses, or are used by local government units. Unfortunately, most have been torn down or have been left in a state of decay. These disappearing structures represent a piece of history and looking for them is like going on a scavenger hunt.

Most schools were named after the land owner who provided the land for the school, a nearby town, or a local natural feature. Price School was named after its location (northeast corner of Price and Chandler Roads).

Everyday I walked about a mile to Price School – uphill, in the snowy winter, carrying my books … okay, during good weather I rode my bike. Since children walked to school back then, these one-room schools were built every few miles – depending on available funds and population of school-age children. Often the one-room schools were located in the township’s sixteenth section because that was the center of the township.

Like most one-room country schools, Price School had one front entry door but a few schools had separate doors – one for the boys and one for the girls.

Generally schoolhouses were painted white (cheaper) but there are some schools painted red. In Michigan, wood was plentiful and it was the most often used material for building the school. However, brick (and a few stone) schoolhouses were built too.

So, when we travel through each county in Michigan, I always keep watching and hoping to photograph these buildings before they disappear from the rural landscape that is part of our American history.

This blog site will be a work in progress. Each time I discover and photograph a historic schoolhouse, I will add that photo and whatever information I have on the school by editing the blog post that corresponds to the Michigan County the schoolhouse is located.

Please respect private property and view those former schoolhouses from the public right-of-way.

Some information (e.g. school names or dates) contained in this blog was obtained from Historical Societies, the Michigan One-Room Schoolhouse Association, or County Equalization Departments.