Michigan One Room Schoolhouses

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

OTTAWA COUNTY

DeWitt District No. 6 School (1891-1957)

LOCATION: 17710 West Taft in Spring Lake Township (south side of road)

Current Use: Museum

It was designated a Michigan Historic Site (MHS) on January 29, 1979 as “DeWitt Bicentennial One Room School”.

New Groningen School (1881-1952)

LOCATION: 10573 Paw Paw Drive, Zeeland in Holland Township

Current Use: Museum operated by the Zeeland Historical Society

During our visit, the school was being used by a group so we were unable to see the inside of it. However, I understand the school was originally a two-room school. Currently, half of it is setup as a 30-seat school while the other half serves as a community room for various events.

Pigeon Creek School (1878-1961)

LOCATION: Southeast corner of Pierce Street and 168^th Avenue in Grand Haven Township

Current Use: Unknown

IONIA COUNTY

Berlin Township District No. 4 School (1898)

LOCATION: On Riverside Road in Ionia State Recreation Area in Berlin Township

The school is known as the “Posse House”

Current Use: Deeded to Ionia County for use by Sheriff’s Posse

Hartwell School District No. 7 (1872)

LOCATION: Northwest corner of Hartwell Road and David Highway in Section 5, Berlin Township

(street number is 4020)

Current Use: Business

Sessions (aka County Farm) School (1847)

Stone Schoolhouse

LOCATION: On Riverside Road in Ionia State Recreation Area (visible from Posse House but on opposite side of the road) in Section 34, Berlin Township

It was designated a Michigan Historic Site (MHS) on May 17, 1973 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on February 11, 1985.

Current Use: This unique cobblestone school is a historic site located within the Recreation Area property. It was restored in 1918.

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

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

TUSCOLA COUNTY

Mast (District No. 3) School (1898-1947)

LOCATION: Thumb Octagon Barn, 6948 Richie Road, Gagetown in Elmwood Township

Originally located in Sebewaing, the school was moved to the Thumb Octagon Barn site in 2005.

Current Use: Museum

West Dayton (District No 2) School (1911)

LOCATION: Mayvllle Museum of History, 2124 Ohmer Road, Mayville in Fremont Township

Current Use: Museum

North Grove (District No. 6) School (1910 – 1966)

LOCATION: Southwest corner of Mertz (M-24) and North Grove Road in Fremont Township

Current Use: Abandoned – it was a K-8 grade school

On August 24, 2016, Andrew Dietderich (editor of the Tuscola County Advertiser) posted an article regarding this school's dismal future. To read the article, please click on the following link:

North Grove School - Tuscola County Advertiser

SANILAC COUNTY

Marlette School District No. 2 (1896)

LOCATION: Northwest corner of French Line Road and M-53

Current Use: Unknown

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.