Ferry Street School - Niles, Michigan
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 41° 49.903 W 086° 15.091
16T E 562150 N 4631363
Historical marker commemorating a former school in Niles, Michigan.
Waymark Code: WM2V9X
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 12/24/2007
Views: 34
Ferry Street School
Constructed in 1867 at a cost of nearly $3,000, the Ferry Street School
opened in January, 1868 as Niles's school for "colored children." In 1870 the
Niles school system was integrated, and this facility closed. It reopened as an
integrated school in 1873. The west wing was added in 1903. From 1956 to 1975
the School for Exceptional Children was located here. In 1975 concerned citizens
began restoring the original building to its nineteenth century style.
Nineteenth century one-room schools in this community typically contained a
woodburning stove, woodbox, water bench, coat pegs, wooden blackboards and long
rows of desks. One teacher often taught two grades. Lessons were in reading,
writing, spelling, numbers, declamation and geography - - all with a moral. This
school provides a link to schools of yesteryear. ~ text of marker
Visit Instructions:Take a photo of your GPS at the marker. We'd prefer a photo of you with your GPS, but we realize that sometimes that's just not possible or preferable.
Also include a bit about your visit to the marker.
NEW: Instructions for logging Missing Marker Visits.
If the Marker is missing, but still listed here, you must provide a photo of you at the actual item historically honored. (This should be the waymark's "default" image). Indicate in your log that you took your photo at the Historical Location instead of the marker, because the marker was missing. Please also still include a bit about your visit to the site.