Michigan Township Schools
La Porte County Indiana - Detailed History

Schools in Michigan Township
Prepared by Patricia Gruse Harris

NAME EARLIEST KNOWN DATE CLOSED LOCATION OTHER INFORMATION
MICHIGAN CITY
1st School 1834 NW cor. 4th & Pine Sts. Isaac C. Elston gave land for school
aka: 1st Ward School Frame bldg. blt. by Thompson Francis
Rev. Isaac McCoy 1st teacher
Union School 1862 2-story brick - 12 grades
Gallatin Ashton 1st teacher
Elston Elementary 1873 ? High school dept. here until 1876
Michigan City Institute 1838 ? 3-story on SW cor. 10th & Franklin Rev. James Towner, Congregational
aka Old Seminary bldg. moved to NE cor. 2nd & minister & lighthouse Keeper, Misses
Franklin Sts. Became Lake House Clarissa Ward(Mrs. Willys Peck), Abigail
Coit (s/o Mrs. Towner), Folsom, Sears - teachers
Lowe Private early ? Pine St. Run by Mrs. Susan Lowe Strong
Young Ladies School early ? Small wooden bldg. at 4th & Pine Taught by Miss Lucy Fuller
also in Washington House 4th & Pine Sts.
Mrs. Lord's Young Ladies 1848 1850 Mrs. Lord formerly Mary Brown
Mrs. Lydia Evarts School early ? Pine Street Teachers: Misses Baldwin, Clemons,
Mary Van Dusen, Ann Hartwell,
Mrs. Mary Griffiths
Old Chapel early ? 3rd Fl. bldg. E. Michigan btwn. Teachers: Messrs. Warren, Choates, Kent,
Franklin & Pine Sts. Plelia Wetts, Miss Harriet Lowe, Mrs. Susan Low
Michigan City Business 1894 ? 2nd Fl. Hopkins Bldg. NW corn. 5th & Franklin Sts.
St. Ambrose Catholic 1852 SE cor. 2nd & Washington Sts. Teachers: Bros. of Holy Cross
moved 1870 1886 to SW cor. 4th & Washington Sisters of Holy Cross
Saint Ambrose Academy 1870 1886 NW cor. 4th & Wabash Sts. In former Chauncey Blair Mansion
Teachers: Sisters of Holy Cross
St. John's Evangelical 1867 Old Church SE cor. 9th & Spring Sts.
moved 1882 1919 Behind Church 100 Bl. W. 9th St.
St. Paul Evangelical 1876 Church basement NE cor. 9th & Franklin
moved 1892 900 Bl. Franklin St. next to church
moved 1957 NW cor. 9th & Pine Sts.
St. Mary's Catholic 1886 2003 SE cor. 10th & Buffalo St. Teachers: Sisters of Holy Cross
Elementary School Sisters of Notre Dame
St. Mary's Catholic 1886 SE cor. 10th & Buffalo Sts. Teachers: Sisters of Holy Cross,
High School moved 1956 300 W. 10th St. School Sisters of Notre Dame,
became Marquette H. S. 1968 Lay teachers
St. Stanislaus Catholic 1891 SE cor. Ripley & Washington Sts. Teachers: School Sisters of
Elementary Notre Dame
Barker Hall School 1885 1893 SE cor. 6th & Franklin Sts. Trinity Episcopal Church Parish School
Elston High School 1869 NW cor. 4th & Pine Sts. in Union School
moved 1876 Spring & Cedar Sts. btwn. 8th & 9th Sts. Land given by George Ames
moved 1912 SE cor. Detroit & Spring Sts.
moved 1925 SW cor. Detroit & Lafayette Sts.
Elston Jr. High School 1924 1980 SE cor. Detroit & Spring Sts. Became Elston Middle School
Canada School 1878 SW cor. Union & "E" Sts. 1st bldg. 1878 on Emily St; Rented bldg. of
1882 German Congregational Church, 2nd St. near
Location named Union Square Bridge to 1891; 1905 Kindergarten NW cor.
aka Union School 1885 by Samuel Miller E" & Union Sts., Gr. 1-3 NW cor. "E" & Emily
aka Benjamin Harrison 1930 1974 Dorothy Armstrong taught kindergarten 1905
Park Elementary 1885 1999 McClelland Avenue 1896 2 rms. Misses Daisy Jones, Stoddard,
Helen Dawson, teachers; 1901 2 rms. Misses
Alice Smith, Arena Williams teachers.
Ottillia Hansen, Prin.
4th Ward School 1889 10th & llth Sts. btwn. Elston & Ohio 1889-90 2 rm., Miss Ada Purdy
aka Garfield Elementary 1892 10th & Ohio Sts. 1892 8 rm. brick named fpr Pres. Garfield
Prin. Kate P. Valentine, teachers Misses
Carrie Chipmin, Elizabeth Wagner, Mr.
Benj. Grego
1902 1982/3 New bldg. facing 11th St.
Eastport Elementary 1890 School St. north of Michigan St. 2 rm. red brick bldg. top of hill at School &
Holliday Sts.with pump, tin pumps & cups.
Replaced by 2 rm frame, then 8 rm. brick.
moved 1953 ? 1300 E. Michigan Blvd.
Marsh Elementary 1898 300 E. Homer St. 2 story 4 rm. brick, later 4 rm. addn.
David Marsh donated land, Zilla Square
new school 1941 named for wife.
Jefferson Elementary 1914 1988 2800 Wabash St.
Nieman Elementary 1925 SE corn. 800N & Eastwood Rd. new school 1975
Long Beach Elementary 1927 1997 Town center Mrs. Beryl Knapp 1st teacher
Designed by John Lloyd Wright
Riley Elementary 1928 1970's 408 S. Carroll Ave. now MCAS administration bldg.
NAME EARLIEST KNOWN DATE CLOSED LOCATION OTHER INFORMATION
MICHIGAN TWP.
School 1862 ? SW cor. SW1/4 SE 1/4 S26 T38 R4W 1862 on Morehouse property
Warnke Road
Corymbo School 1874 after 1892 SE 1/4 NE 1/4 S13 T38N R4W 1874 on I. Thornton property
aka Township Line School on E. Twp. Line = 600W 1892 on Laborn property
Ida Johnson teacher 1888
Roeske School 1874 after 1928 SW 1/4 NW 1/4 S35 T38N R4W on Michigan Rd. E. of Johnson Rd.
2 rm. school, Amy Williams teacher 1888
Freyer School 1915 after 1928 NE 1/4 NE 1/4 S23 T38N R4W SW cor. Freyer & Eastwood Rd.
1 rm. school
Tryon School ? ? SE 1/4 SE 1/4 S23 T38N R4W NW cor. Eastwood & Tryon Rd.
~ For Larger Image
Click on Picture - 		~
Old Elston High School
Old Elston HS
Michigan City		 Ambrose
St. Ambrose Academy 1869-1886 NW corner
4th & Wabash St. MC Split day
and boarding school run by
the Sisters of the Holy Cross
in the former Chauncey Blair mansion.		 Central High MC
Central HS Michigan City
Park School
Park School
Michigan City		 ~~ Garfield School Michigan City
Garfield School
Michigan City
school
St. Mary's School as built in1886. South east corner 10th (Boston) & Buffalo Sts		 school
1st St. Mary's School southwest corner Washington and 4th St. 1870-1886. Formerly St. Mary's Church 1859-1867.		 school
St. Mary's High School 1925-1956. Formerly the parish hall called Marquette Hall. That portion of the building incorporated in the new high school building of 1956 is still known as Marquette Hall
school
St. Mary's High School building from 1956 -1968 Then became Marquette High School.		 school
St. Mary's School as it looked in 1986 South east corner 10th & Buffalo Sts., MC		 school
*Old School Bell
Read Below
Central High MC
Central HS Michigan City		 school
St. Stanislaus School blt. 1891 and served as a church, school & convent. School remained in this building until 1940. SE corner Washington & Ripley Sts., MC 		Garfield School Michigan City
Garfield School
Michigan City
Old Elston High School
Old Elston HS
Michigan City		 St John's School
St. John's Parochial School
built 1882. School in existence until 1919		 Long Beach School
Long Beach School - 1927
Michigan City High School
Old Michigan City
High School		 New Elston High School
Isaac C. Elston High School built 1909 Detroit & Spring Sts.
Michigan City. Became Isaac C. Elston Jr. High School 1924.
Closed and razed 1980.		 school
Harrison School
Closed in 1974
Park School
Park School 1934 		Park School
Park School
Michigan City		  

*This school bell was first used in the first Catholic school and Church known as St. Ambrose Church and school and was located on the southeast corner Washington and 2nd Sts., MC The school was in existence from 1855 to 1870 and the church from 1849 to 1867. The bell was used from 1858 to 1870 at St. Ambrose, then first St. Mary's School 1870-1886 and then moved to St. Mary's School at 10th & Buffalo. It was used there from 1886 to 1932 when the school was enlarged and bell tower taken down. The bell now sits in the attic of St. Mary's School building.

Students in 1934 Park School photo
First Row Left to Right: Lloyd Clinton, Walter Barugovich, Robert Gardner, Donald Sanlon, (unknown), James Zademan, Donald Heisman, Donald Blake, Roger McKee.
Second Row: Betty Peters, Rita Kibbey, Hilda Lange, Eileen Hayduk, Selma Nowfel, Janet Anderson, Hazel Marciniak, Julia Ann Seedorf, Marie Miller, Phyllis Lubs, Dorothy Souerland, Janice Kahn, Shirley Santow, Alberta Schroeder.
Third Row: Eunice Anderson, Edward Serhal, Marie Nowfel, Betty Ritter, Ruth Krueger, Anna Wright, Jean Dolph, Richard Collins, Henry Smith, Ray Wolf.

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