Michigan One Room Schoolhouses: Birch Run Community Park

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

SAGINAW COUNTY

Fowler School (1882-1943)

LOCATION: Hartley Outdoor Education Center, 12633 Beaver Road, St Charles

In 1988, it was moved from its original location (corner of Burt and Chapin Roads in Marion Township) to the Hartley Outdoor Education Center complex – at the Murphy Farm (in Swan Creek Township). It is a mile or so walk to the school through the woods from the Beaver Road parking lot or you can drive to it. The Murphy Farm is located on the north side of the road at approximately 13300 West Townline Road, St. Charles. The Murphy Farm is a Michigan Historic Site.

Current Use: Museum

Hart School (1860-1921)

LOCATION: Grandpa Tiny’s Farm, 7775 Weiss St, Frankenmuth

Originally located in Tuscola County, it was moved to Frankenmuth in 2000 and is now part of Grandpa Tiny's Farm. However, the school itself is located at the southeast corner of Gera (M-83) and Townline Road.

Current Use: Museum

County Line School

LOCATION: Birch Run Community Park, 13001-13175 Maple Road, Birch Run

Corner of Maple Road and Burt Road – entrance off Maple Road

Current Use: Museum

Hill School (1890-1952)

LOCATION: 1146 Holland Road (aka M-46) in Section 26, Blumfield Township

On the north side of the road between Block Road and Gera Road (aka M-83)

Michigan Historic Site: July 26, 1978

Current Use: Business

Oakley School

LOCATION: Corner of First Street and Parshall Street, Oakley in Brady Township

Current Use: Oakley Village Park Property

Oakdale School (1925-1961)

LOCATION: 18147 West Brant Road, Brant in Brant Township

(on the south side of the road between Stevens Road and Fowler Road)

Current Use: This former Standard School is now a private residence

Leidein School (1899-1958)

LOCATION: Pride & Country Village, 5965 East Holland Road, Saginaw in Section 26, Buena Vista Township

(corner of M-46 and Portsmouth Road – driveway next to school is off Portsmouth Road)

Current Use: Business

Frink School

LOCATION: 6004 Bishop Road, Chesaning in Section 18, Maple Grove Township

(northwest corner of Bishop Road and Peet Road – aka M-57 – between Gasper Road and Briggs Road)

Current Use: Private Residence

Smith School

LOCATION: 17980 Gratiot Road in Section 29, Richland Township

(northeast corner of Gratiot Road – aka M-46 – and Iva Road)

Current Use: This former Standard School is now a business

If you have additional information regarding the above schools, please leave a message in the COMMENT section following this post.

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.