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: FAIRVIEW SCHOOL #1
ID: 32BU00158
County: Bottineau     Township: 163     Range: 083     Section: 16
Geographic Location Key: 016308316BU
Name: Hastings Township School Hastings Township School
ID: 32BU00184
County: Bottineau     Township: 161     Range: 081     Section: 35
Geographic Location Key: 016108135BU
Name: OAK CREEK SCHOOL #1, DIST #4
ID: 32BU00185
County: Bottineau     Township: 160     Range: 076     Section: 23
Geographic Location Key: 016007623BU
Name: Dalen Town Hall
ID: 32BU00186
County: Bottineau     Township: 163     Range: 076     Section: 19
Geographic Location Key: 016307619BU
Name: Chatfield Township School
ID: 32BU00187
County: Bottineau     Township: 159     Range: 081     Section: 27
Geographic Location Key: 015908127BU
Name: CORDELIA TOWNSHIP HALL; CORDELIA TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
ID: 32BU00188
County: Bottineau     Township: 162     Range: 074     Section: 11
Geographic Location Key: 016207411BU
Name: BOTTINEAU PUBLIC SCHOOL
ID: 32BU00651
County: Bottineau     Township: 162     Range: 076     Section: 25
Geographic Location Key: 016207625BU
Name: BOTTINEAU PUBLIC SCHOOL
ID: 32BU00651
County: Bottineau     Township: 162     Range: 076     Section: 25
Geographic Location Key: 016207625BU
Name: SCANDIA #1
ID: 32BU00760
County: Bottineau     Township: 163     Range: 078     Section: 05
Geographic Location Key: 016307805BU
Name: THRUM SCHOOL #4
ID: 32BU00761
County: Bottineau     Township: 161     Range: 078     Section: 25
Geographic Location Key: 016107825BU