Country School House Project

In 2009, the theme of the ND Governor's History Conference was education. As part of that conference, the State Historical Society asked members of the public to help document the country school houses that remain on our landscape. Several individuals sent in information about schools, but one lady, now known in many parts of the state as "The School Lady," has compiled information on over 730 country schools. Kathy Wilner started with one school in particular, the Ingersoll School, and then decided to do some schools around her county. Over time, she partnered with County Historical Societies and won grants to continue documenting schools around the state. Ms. Wilner was awarded the Heritage Profile Honor Award in 2017.

Hard copies of all the information Ms. Wilner compiled are available for viewing at the County Historical Societies, and digital copies are available on this page. In some cases, the names and locations of schools have changed over time, and these records are based on the information available at the time the record was made. The State Historical Society will continue to add records about country schools as it receives them.

Name: HOWE SCHOOL; MIMER SCHOOL #52
ID: 32MH00191
County: McHenry     Township: 153     Range: 079     Section: 08
Geographic Location Key: 015307908MH
Name: HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP SCHOOL #1
ID: 32MH00411
County: McHenry     Township: 152     Range: 077     Section: 34
Geographic Location Key: 015207734MH
Name: VILLARD SCHOOL #4
ID: 32MH00412
County: McHenry     Township: 151     Range: 077     Section: 22
Geographic Location Key: 015107722MH
Name: Gilmore Township School
ID: 32MH00434
County: McHenry     Township: 157     Range: 078     Section: 01
Geographic Location Key: 015707801MH
Name: NEW GERMAN TOWN SCHOOL
ID: 32mh00435
County: McHenry     Township: 151     Range: 076     Section: 03
Geographic Location Key: 015107603MH
Name: Schiller Township School
ID: 32MH00452
County: McHenry     Township: 152     Range: 075     Section: 16
Geographic Location Key: 015207516MH
Name: Star Township School
ID: 32MH00453
County: McHenry     Township: 155     Range: 077     Section: 26
Geographic Location Key: 015507726MH
Name: Round Lake Township School
ID: 32MH00454
County: McHenry     Township: 153     Range: 075     Section: 30
Geographic Location Key: 015307530MH
Name: Lake George Township School
ID: 32MH00455
County: McHenry     Township: 153     Range: 076     Section: 23
Geographic Location Key: 015307623MH
Name: Balfour Township School
ID: 32MH00456
County: McHenry     Township: 152     Range: 077     Section: 11
Geographic Location Key: 015207711MH