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: DEEP DISTRICT SCHOOL NO. 51; KANE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL; NEWBORG SCHOOL
ID: 32BUX0159
County: Bottineau     Township: 161     Range: 079     Section: 03
Geographic Location Key: 016107903BU
Name: Atkinson Schoolhouse
ID: 32BO00163
County: Bowman     Township: 132     Range: 103     Section: 34
Geographic Location Key: 013210334BO
Name: school house
ID: 32BO00733
County: Bowman     Township: 131     Range: 102     Section: 11
Geographic Location Key: 013110211BO
Name: BOWMAN COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
ID: 32BO00791
County: Bowman     Township: 131     Range: 102     Section: 14
Geographic Location Key: 013110214BO
Name: HALEY SCHOOLHOUSE
ID: 32BO00814
County: Bowman     Township: 129     Range: 099     Section: 30
Geographic Location Key: 012909930BO
Name: GRAND RIVER FARM AND RANCH
ID: 32BO00825
County: Bowman     Township: 129     Range: 099     Section: 33
Geographic Location Key: 012909933BO
Name: GASCOYNE SCHOOL
ID: 32BO00832
County: Bowman     Township: 130     Range: 099     Section: 05
Geographic Location Key: 013009905BO
Name: ELMER & ELEANOR EIEN
ID: 32BO00841
County: Bowman     Township: 131     Range: 099     Section: 14
Geographic Location Key: 013109914BO
Name: SCHOOLHOUSE
ID: 32BO00889
County: Bowman     Township: 131     Range: 100     Section: 23
Geographic Location Key: 013110023BO
Name: HAMMOND SCHOOL
ID: 32BO00904
County: Bowman     Township: 129     Range: 100     Section: 25
Geographic Location Key: 012910025BO