Michigan One Room Schoolhouses: Michigan One Room Schoolhouses

Showing posts with label Michigan One Room Schoolhouses. Show all posts

Thursday, May 24, 2018

ARENAC COUNTY

Maple Grove School (1889-1955)

LOCATION: Southeast corner of Hull Road and Conrad Road in Section 29, Arenac Township

Current Use: Church

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

LOCATION: From Highway 127 (Houghton Lake - Exit 194) go about 9 miles west on M-55 to Star City Road – turn north on Star City Road for about 3 miles. The school is on the east side of Star City Road (just north of Wagner Road) in Section 24, West Branch Township

Current Use: Privately Owned – used for storage

Thursday, November 3, 2016

MUSKEGON COUNTY

Johnson School (1894-1946)

LOCATION: 17460 Sherman Blvd, Casnovia in Section 35, Casnovia Township

School is on the north side of Sherman Blvd between Newaygo Road and Peters Road

Current Use: Museum

While driving around Muskegon County, we were unable to locate the following schools:

- Maple Island School in Cedar Creek Township (burned down Nov. 13, 2009)

Saturday, September 24, 2016

VAN BUREN COUNTY

West Brick School District No. 6 (1871-1960)

West Brick School and Plaque

LOCATION: Corner of CR 378 (aka 30^th Ave) and 69^th Street in Bangor Township

Current Use: The West Brick School Alumni (a non-profit group) is working to preserve this school. This is a labor of love and donations are always appreciated. Thank you to Catherine Green (President of the Alumni Group) for sharing information about this school. When completed, the renovated school will be used as a community center/museum.

Wood School #6 (1869 to Present Day)

LOCATION: Northwest corner of 66^th Street and CR 378 (aka 30^th Ave) in Bangor Township

The approximate address for this school is 29884 66^th St or 66029 30^th Ave depending on which street you use to enter the school grounds. When I Googled “Wood School, Bangor Township Michigan” the search results showed the Wood School address as 35594 66^th St, Bangor. This incorrect address is about 1.5 miles south of its true location.

This is one of a handful of still active one-room schools in Michigan. I have been told by several different sources that there is a waiting list to attend this school.

Current Use: Active One-Room School

Evergreen District No 7 School (early 1860’s - ?)

Evergreen School and Bell Tower

LOCATION: Bloomingdale Depot Museum, 108 Van Buren St, Bloomingdale

The Evergreen School was originally located at the intersection of CR 380 and 44th Street in Section 31 of Bloomingdale Township. In 2012, the Bloomingdale Area Historical Association had the school moved to the Village of Bloomingdale on the Depot Museum property (school is on Spring Street off Van Buren Street). Like any project, the completion of this restoration is dependent upon available funding.

Current Use: The local historical society has plans to create a historic village which will include the school.

Ackley (#7f) School (?? – 1997)

LOCATION: Corner of CR-380 (aka 28^th St) and CR-681 (aka 58^th St) in Geneva Township

Approximate address is 20100 CR-681.

Current Use: Private Residence

Geneva Center (#6f) School

LOCATION: Northwest corner of CR-384 (12^th St) and 64^th St in Geneva Township

Current Use: Private Property

Jericho School (1882-1895)

LOCATION: Intersection of CR-380 (aka 28^th St) and M-43 in Geneva Township

Current Use: Party Store

Riverside District No 8 School of Geneva (1903)

Riverside School and Plaque

LOCATION: 11900 68^th St in Geneva Township

Northwest corner of CR-384 (aka 12^th St) and 68^th St

Current Use: Privately Owned

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

MANISTEE COUNTY

Gabel School

LOCATION: 14022 St Pierre Road in Arcadia Township

Northeast corner of St. Pierre Road and M-22

Current Use: Private Residence

If anyone has information on year built, years used as a school/closed, etc I would appreciate hearing from you. Please leave a message in the COMMENT section following this post.

Warren School (late 1800’s)

LOCATION: 8532 Chippewa Hwy (US-31) in Bear Lake Township

North of Manistee

Current Use: Business - was “Old School Antiques” but now it is a steam cleaning business

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

- Arcadia Village School in Arcadia Twp (Lake & 4^th Streets) – GONE

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

LAKE COUNTY

Irons School (circa 1900)

Irons School - Exterior and Interior

LOCATION: Martin Johnson Heritage Museum in Eden Township

On the northeast corner at the entrance to Skinner Park (5090 10 ½ Mile Road, Irons, Michigan)

The school was donated to the Museum by Joanne and Sonny Sicilliano

If you have any information regarding this school, please leave a message in the COMMENTS section following this post.

Big Bass Lake School

LOCATION: 8906 W 6 Mile Road, Irons in Sauble Township

Current Use: Sauble Township Hall

Sauble School (1910-??)

LOCATION: North of 1820 Hamilton Road,

School is located on the east side of the road about 4 miles north of the Mason/Lake County Line. This is a six-sided cement block building.

Current Use: Vacant

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

GRATIOT COUNTY

At one time, Gratiot County had over 130 schools - many of them were one-room schools.

I wish to thank Carol Douglas at the Gratiot County Genealogy Library in Ithaca. Michigan for all her help and information she provided on the Gratiot County one-room schools.

Rooks (Bethany #5) School

LOCATION: Northwest corner of Blair Road and Monroe Road (aka M-46) in Section 23, Bethany Township

Current Use: Garage/Storage Building

Brick (Bethany District No. 3) School (1895)

School Plaque

LOCATION: 3743 Monroe Road (aka M-46) in Section 27, Bethany Township

(on the south side of the road between Crapo Road and Bush Road)

Current Use: Attached to pole barn/storage building

Herron (Emerson District No. 9) School (1902)

Emerson School Exterior & School Plaque

LOCATION: 2571 E St. Charles Road, Ithaca in Section 28, Emerson Townshhip

(on the north side of the road about ¼ mile west of Baldwin Road - east of Ithaca)

Current Use: Storage

Green School

LOCATION: Approximate address is 6707 Lumberjack Road, Riverdale, in Section 31, Seville Township

(northwest corner of Lumberjack Road and NW Williams Road in the town of Riverdale - north end of town on the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail)

Current Use: Museum - moved from Isabella County to its present location in 1988

Ola Corners (District No. 7) School

LOCATION: 1969 East Garfield Road, Ashley in Section 5, Washington Township

(northwest corner of Garfield and Bagley Road – aka US-127)
This brick school replaced the older school which no longer exists.

Current Use: Business

Frost (Lafayette #5) School

LOCATION: Southwest corner of Barry Road (aka CR505) and St. Charles Road in Section 33, Lafayette Township

Current Use: Privately Owned

Mellinger (District #5) School (1882?)

I think the sign reads "Ithaca No. 78 Grange"

LOCATION: 2258 Fillmore Road in Section 9, North Star Township

(on the south side of the road between Baldwin Road and Bagley Road (aka old US-27). It is closer to Bagley Road.

Current Use: Abandoned

While driving around Gratiot County, we noted the status of the following one-room schools:
- Beebe School (Emerson Township) Tyler & Baldwin Road - GONE

ANTRIM COUNTY

Alba School (1881)

LOCATION: 3366 Jordan River Road, Alba in Chestonia Township

On the southwest corner of Jordan River Road and Elm Street but it can be seen from US-131

Current Use: Alba Historical Museum

South Milton School (1850-1865)

LOCATION: 11509 Cherry Road, Rapid City

(Between Hoopfer Road and Wingash Road)

Current Use: Private Residence (it was a gift shop but not any more)

Torch Lake School (1880)

LOCATION: 2592 US-31 Highway North, Kewadin in Torch Lake Township

Current Use: Business (September 2015 - For Sale sign in front of school)

Unknown School (could it be East Star or Ostrom School?)

As seen from C-42 heading east

As seen from C-42 heading west toward Alba

LOCATION: On the south side of the road about 2-3 miles east of Alba on C-42 (aka Alba Highway) in Star Township (west of Olds Road)

Current Use: Private Residence

If you know the identity of this school or have any other information about it, please leave a comment following this post.

Settlement (District No. 2) School

LOCATION: Southwest corner of M-32 and St. Johns Road in Section 9, Jordan Township

Current Use: Probably a community building

Brown (aka Sunny valley) School

LOCATION: 4473 Big Marsh Road or 4891 M-32 on the southwest corner of M-32 and Big Marsh Road in Section 11, Jordan Township

Current Use: Private Residence

This school is listed as a Michigan Historic Site (designation date August 3, 1979)

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

CHARLEVOIX COUNTY

Hilton School (1878)

LOCATION: Bier Art Gallery, 3500 US-31, Charlevoix

Current Use: Art Gallery

The Hilton School was part of the logging community of Norwood (just south of Charlevoix).

Mountain School

LOCATION: 08525 Ferry Road, East Jordan

Corner of Ferry and Mountain Roads

Current Use: Eveline Township Hall

Raven Hill School

Raven Hill School - Exterior and Interior

LOCATION: 4737 Fuller Road, East Jordan in Wilson Township

Part of the Raven Hill Discovery Center

Current Use: Museum

Tanizer School

LOCATION: 02746 Wildwood Harbor Road, Boyne City in Evangeline Township

Current Use: Township Hall

Horton Bay (District No. 2) School

LOCATION: 04991 Boynce City-Charlevoix Road, Horton Bay in Bay Township

Current Use: Restoration Committee has been established for the purpose of funding and restoration

Originally, the school was located a mile or so east of Horton Bay. It was moved to its present location in Horton Bay next to the United Methodist Church.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 2001.

Star (District No. 6) School

LOCATION: Southwest corner of Loomis Road and Wurn Road in Section 24, Eveline Township

Current Use: Unknown

If you have any information about this school, please leave a comment at the end of this post.

Norwood (District No. 1) School (1890-1957)

LOCATION: From US-31 turn west on Gennett Road to the village of Norwood. The school is on Fourth Street (Between lake Street and Gennett Road)

Current Use: In 2004, the Norwood Historical Society purchased the building and renovated it for a museum and meeting hall.

It is a Michigan Historic Site

Side 1

Side 2

ROSCOMMON COUNTY

Log Schoolhouse (1876)

LOCATION: 1701 W Houghton Lake Drive, Houghton Lake

Current Use: Museum – part of the Historic Village operated by the Houghton Lake Historical Society

CRAWFORD COUNTY

Lone Pine (Kellogg) School (1907-1937)

LOCATION: 8405 Twin Bridge Road, Grayling in Lovells Township

This one-room school was gifted to the Lovells Historical Society in 1991 and now resides on township property.

Current Use: Museum

Unknown School (1870's)

LOCATION: Crawford County Historical Museum, 97 East Michigan Avenue, Grayling

According to the Museum’s website: “The Museum Annex (small white building) was built in the 1870s. It was the first schoolhouse in Grayling. It later became the Township Hall.”

Current Use: Museum containing the history of Camp Grayling

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.