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: HEMEN TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
ID: 32BA00324
County: Barnes     Township: 139     Range: 060     Section: 15
Geographic Location Key: 013906015BA
Name: HEIMES LANDING #1
ID: 32BA00325
County: Barnes     Township: 141     Range: 058     Section: 06
Geographic Location Key: 014105806BA
Name: HEIMES LANDING #2
ID: 32BA00326
County: Barnes     Township: 141     Range: 058     Section: 06
Geographic Location Key: 014105806BA
Name: HEIMES LANDING #3
ID: 32BA00327
County: Barnes     Township: 141     Range: 058     Section: 06
Geographic Location Key: 014105806BA
Name: LAKETOWN TWP PRECINCT #5
ID: 32BA00328
County: Barnes     Township: 143     Range: 059     Section: 19
Geographic Location Key: 014305919BA
Name: Ellis-Nelson School
ID: 32BA00329
County: Barnes     Township: 139     Range: 058     Section: 10
Geographic Location Key: 013905810BA
Name: Nelson School
ID: 32BA00330
County: Barnes     Township: 138     Range: 058     Section: 22
Geographic Location Key: 013805822BA
Name: HEIMES NO. 10; SCHOOL COMMUNITY BLDG
ID: 32BA00750
County: Barnes     Township: 140     Range: 058     Section: 21
Geographic Location Key: 014005821BA
Name: WILKIN SCHOOL
ID: 32BA01200
County: Barnes     Township: 142     Range: 060     Section: 12
Geographic Location Key: 014206012BA
Name: King School #2
ID: 32BA01201
County: Barnes     Township: 139     Range: 058     Section: 21
Geographic Location Key: 013905821BA