Schools Archives - Lost In Michigan

Pelkie’s School Bus

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools, upper peninsula .

Just outside of Baraga, at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula, is the small town of Pelkie. Here you’ll find a one-room schoolhouse, originally built in 1909, that has since been converted into a museum. It’s a classic example of a rural schoolhouse and is open to visitors on Sundays during the summer.

On the museum grounds, under a protective cover, sits a peculiar-looking wagon. A brass plaque identifies it as a horse-drawn school bus, a homemade contraption built in 1933 and donated to the museum in 1982. It’s so odd-looking that you can’t help but wonder what the inside is like. Unfortunately, the museum was closed during my visit, so I’ll have to make a return trip to get a peek inside.

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The Old Vermilya school

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools, Thumb .

In the sprawling farmland southwest of Columbiaville, the old Vermilya school stands as a poignant relic. Its construction dates back to the bygone year of 1875, and the years have certainly left their mark. The weathered clapboard siding, a fascinating mosaic of faded grays and peeling whites, tells a silent story of decades spent at the mercy of the elements. This schoolhouse, a sentinel of a forgotten time, ceased its educational role in 1941, when its students were redirected to the more modern, bustling classrooms of Columbiaville. From my vantage point along the roadside, it appears this property is now privately owned. I was compelled to capture a photograph of this beautifully weathered structure, its aged charm a testament to a simpler era. The quiet dignity of the building, set against the backdrop of the rural landscape, made for a truly compelling image.

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The Old School In Norwood

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools, small towns .

Situated in the center of the charming community of Norwood, south of Charlevoix, stands an old schoolhouse, a relic of the town’s vibrant past. Founded in 1866 by Orvis Wood, Lucius Pearl, and Orwin Adams, Norwood thrived as a bustling lumber-shipping center. The town’s strategic location on the shores of Lake Michigan, coupled with its abundance of timber, fueled its growth. Sawmills, a company store, and blacksmith shops dotted the landscape. The name “Norwood” was aptly chosen, reflecting the town’s serene setting in the northern woods. As the lumber industry waned, so too did Norwood’s population. Today, the town is a peaceful retreat, primarily residential, with a charming church and the historic schoolhouse, now a museum, preserving its rich heritage.

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The Lone Pine Log Cabin School

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

The small town of Lovells sits northeast of Grayling along the north branch of the AuSable River. Next to the township hall is a log style building with a bell next it mounted on a log framework. The building was the Lone Pine School Built in 1907 by Ed Kellogg and Gustav Ernst. It was located at Jackson Hole on the North Branch of the AuSable River about seven miles downstream of Lovells. The school was used until 1936 when the schools were consolidated and the students were bussed to Grayling. The school was Moved from Jackson Hole, seven miles down Lovells Road in July 1991, and renovated and is now used as a museum.

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The Old Bailey School

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

Next to the parking lot for the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse is the Bailey School. It is a one-room schoolhouse originally operated west of Mikado. The Norway pine structure was built in 1907 and it is one of the few remaining one-room log schoolhouses still standing in Michigan. The schoolhouse closed after the 1940-41 school year and the following year the students were transported to Oscoda schools. In 1973, Mikado Township began a partial restoration of the building and in 1998 it was disassembled and moved to the Sturgeon Point location.

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The Tweddle School

Posted on August 19, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

The Tweddle Schoolhouse sits along M-22 about 2 miles south of Empire. It was built around 1895 and served the little farming community in the region until the schools were consolidated. After that, the school was converted to a residence. It has two front doors because one is for boys and one for girls. The school has been recently restored and is part of the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.

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The Lyon School

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

The historic Lyon schoolhouse is located northeast of Brighton. Richard Lyon and his family came to the area in the 1830s. A log cabin school was built on his property to educate the local children. A new school was built in 1885 and it is the one that still stands today. It was used as a school until the 1940s then it was used as a township hall until 1984. Now it is a museum for the Brighton Area Historical Society.

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Old North Fairview School

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

The Steiner Pioneer and Logging Museum sits along M-33 north of Fairview in the northeast Lower Peninsula. The Old North Fairview School sits on the museum’s property to remind people of a time when kids went to one room schoolhouses. The log school was built in 1895 and it was moved to the museum to save it for future generations to learn about the area’s history.

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Rosenberg School

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

This old schoolhouse sits a few miles northwest of Reed City. From what I found on the internet is that it was the Rosenberg Schoolhouse. It looks as if it ha been a long time since any students learned their three R’s in it. I wonder if that massive pine tree that stands next to it was a little sapling when the school was built. Like the schools students it is all grown up.

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Coats Grove School

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools .

I saw this old schoolhouse near Hastings. I found out on the internet it was the old Coats Grove School. It was a fractional school built in 1874 and closed in 1967. A fractional school is a school that serves more than one district. I am assuming the two doors is because one is for boys and one is for girls but I am not 100 percent positive of that.

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