Michigan One Room Schoolhouses: Maple Grove School

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

OCEANA COUNTY

Maple Grove School (1906-1950’s)

LOCATION: On 120th Avenue (east side of road) just south of Thistle Road

Current Use: Private Residence

Randall School (1875-1964)

LOCATION: Hart Historic District – corner of Union and Lincoln Streets, Hart

Originally located in Section 11 of Hart Township, it was donated to the Hart Historical District and moved to Hart in 1993.

Current Use: Museum

Marshville (#4) School (?-1956)

LOCATION: 5610 Marshville Dam Rd, Shelby in Section 26, Benona Township

(near 56^th Avenue)

Current Use: Private Residence

Gardiner (#3) School

LOCATION: 7169 W Baker Rd, Shelby in Section 21, Benona Township

(southeast corner of Baker Road and 40^th Avenue)

We met a gentleman who provided a little background. The school was located next to the Benona Township Hall. The Township Hall was built in 1899. He wasn’t sure if the school was built before or after 1899 but it was located about 60 feet from the Township hall. Unfortunately, the school burned down around 2011. However, the original school bell still exists on the property.

Brady (aka Bradyville) School (1897)

LOCATION: Southeast corner of West Stony Lake Road and 52^nd Avenue in Section 2, Claybanks Township

Current Use: Private Residence

Smith's Corners (#2) School

LOCATION: On the north side of Monroe Road just west of Oceana Drive in Section 20, Weare Township

Current Use: Privately Owned

While driving through Oceana County, we noted the status on the following one-room schools:

- Cleveland School (Jackson Rd & 128th St in Crystal Township) - GONE

Saturday, May 30, 2015

GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY

Bates School (1884)

LOCATION: 6054 Bates Road (just north of M-72 in Acme Township)

Current Use: Vacant

Cedar Creek (District No. 1) School (1882-1950)

LOCATION: 5020 Fife Lake Road (aka CR 605) in Union Township
(Southwest corner of Fife Lake Road and Cedar Creek Road)

It was designated a Michigan Historic Site (MHS) on October 27, 1983 as “Fife Lake-Union District No 1 Schoolhouse” and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on August 27, 1987.

Current Use: Union Township Hall and Michigan Historic Site in 1983

Hodge School (1874)

LOCATION: 6970 M-113 (corner of M-113 and Hodge Rd in Fife Lake Township)

Current Use: Private Residence

Old Red Schoolhouse #5

LOCATION: Interlochen Center for the Arts Campus, 4000 Highway M-137, Interlochen in Green Lake Township

(Notice the separate entry doors – one for the boys and one for the girls)

Current Use: Historic Museum

Maple Grove School (1896-1958)

LOCATION: 11480 Center Rd (aka M-37 in Peninsula Township)

Six miles north of Traverse City

Current Use: It serves as a wine tasting room.

Old Mission School (1853-1955)

LOCATION: 18328 Old Mission Road, Old Mission in Peninsula Township
(across the street from the log church)

Current Use: Private residence- historical marker by road (2015 it was gone)

Bower's Harbor School (1858-1955)

LOCATION: Corner of Neahatawnata & Kroupa Road in Peninsula Township

Current Use: Private residence

McKinley School (1862-1955)

LOCATION: Northwest corner of Center (M-37) and McKinley Roads in Peninsula Township

Current Use: Private residence

Ogdensburg School (1898-1955)

LOCATION: 16213 Center (M-37) Road in Peninsula Township

(West side of road)

Current Use: Private residence

Stoney Beach School (1859-1955)

LOCATION: 9160 Montague Road in Peninsula Township

(Northwest corner of Center & Montague Roads)

Current Use: Private residence

Hesler (or Hessler) Log House

LOCATION: Lighthouse Park, 20500 Center (M-37) Road in Peninsula Township

According to the State of Michigan Historic Site sign, the Hessler Log House served many purposes over the years - one of which was a school. In 1992, the log house was moved from its original location (14 miles south of the Park along the eastern shore of the peninsula) to the Lighthouse Park where it was restored.

Current Use: Museum – furnished as a home

American Union Sunday School & Chapel (1893)

LOCATION: 11779 Cedar Run Road (just before Cedar Valley Road)

It is a Long Lake Township Historical building.

Current Use: Cedar Run Community Building.

Joseph Black School (1893-1955)

LOCATION: 1000 Hammond, Traverse City

(corner of Hammond and Three Mile Road)

Current Use: Business - a chiropractor office.

Rice School

LOCATION: 2525 M-37 (south of Traverse City in Blair Township)

(corner of M-37 and Nimrod Road)

Current Use: It was a gift/antique shop - out of business

Yuba School (1870-1964)

LOCATION: 5825 Yuba Rd on the southeast corner of Yuba Road & US-31 in Acme Township

A second room was added in 1901.

It was designated a Michigan Historic Site on May 10, 1990 as “East Bay Township School District No. 2"

Current Use: Historic Museum

Dunn School #4 (????-1956)

LOCATION: 1979 Silver Lake Rd (aka CR 633), Traverse City

(Southwest corner of Silver Lake Rd and Secor Rd in Garfield Twp)

Current Use: Private Residence

Stricker School #1

LOCATION: Northeast corner of Cedar Run and Barney in Long Lake Twp

(west of Traverse City)

Current Use: Private Residence

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

- Highland School in Blari #3 Township – GONE or Couldn't Find

- Brimley School in Garfield Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Forest View School in Long Lake Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Longview School in Long Lake Township – GONE or Couldn’t Find

- Archie School in Peninsula Township - GONE

- Granton School in Garfield Township - GONE or Couldn't Find

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.