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: CRYSTAL SPRINGS #2
ID: 32KD00110
County: Kidder     Township: 139     Range: 071     Section: 10
Geographic Location Key: 013907110KD
Name: HAYNES TOWNSHIP SCHOOL NORTH
ID: 32KD00111
County: Kidder     Township: 141     Range: 073     Section: 09
Geographic Location Key: 014107309KD
Name: BARTON SCHOOL #8
ID: 32KD00112
County: Kidder     Township: 142     Range: 072     Section: 01
Geographic Location Key: 014207201KD
Name: CLEAR LAKE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
ID: 32KD00113
County: Kidder     Township: 142     Range: 073     Section: 08
Geographic Location Key: 014207308KD
Name: MANNING TWSP. N SCHOOL #1
ID: 32KD00124
County: Kidder     Township: 138     Range: 073     Section: 32
Geographic Location Key: 013807332KD
Name: KEMMET SCHOOL
ID: 32KD00125
County: Kidder     Township: 140     Range: 071     Section: 34
Geographic Location Key: 014007134KD
Name: WESTFORD TWP SCHOOL
ID: 32KD00126
County: Kidder     Township: 140     Range: 071     Section: 32
Geographic Location Key: 014007132KD
Name: HAYNES TWP SCHOOL
ID: 32KD00127
County: Kidder     Township: 141     Range: 073     Section: 28
Geographic Location Key: 014107328KD
Name: CHESTINA TWP SCHOOL
ID: 32KD00128
County: Kidder     Township: 141     Range: 074     Section: 12
Geographic Location Key: 014107412KD
Name: CLEAR LAKE SCHOOL
ID: 32KD00129
County: Kidder     Township: 142     Range: 073     Section: 12
Geographic Location Key: 014207312KD