We’ve seen this school referenced online as Wing School #3, however the sign above the door appears to read Sterling No. 2.  The school is located closer to Wing than it is Sterling, so we wonder whether this school originally stood somewhere else and was moved to this spot, about 9 miles north of Wing.  If someone could shed some light on this school’s history, we would appreciate your insight.

Update:  Wanda Burrer posted on our Facebook page with more details.

“The school building was originally built in Sterling Township in Burleigh County in 1917 under the name , Sterling No. 2. This was about 22 [miles] south of where it is today. Due to declining enrollment the school closed in 1927. In 1937 Florence Lake Township purchased the schoolhouse and moved it to it’s present location after their building was destroyed by fire. Due to the financial struggles of the Great Depression Era it was easier and faster for the township to relocate an existing building instead of constructing a new school house. It served students till 1961. In November 2011 it was listed with the National Register of Historic Places. The Florence Lake Township is in the process of fixing it up.”

The architecture of this school is unique compared to the other country schools we’ve seen.

Photos by Troy Larson and Terry Hinnenkamp, copyright Sonic Tremor Media LLC