Category: BEAVER VALLEY & AREA

NINE MILE CREEK

A grainy black and white historical photograph of Nine Mile Creek School (1st school), featuring a horse in the foreground with the old, wooden school building and its distinctive windows in the background, surrounded by a rustic wooden fence, reflecting the rural character of early 20th-century educational environments.

There were two schools built in the Pend d’Oreille valley. The first one was of log construction, built in 1913 by Art Buckley’s dad Hugh and Mr. Churches, with the assistance of neighbours. This school was situated on Churches’ property on the lower side of the road. Art Buckley stated in his interview that his […]

MONTROSE ELEMENTARY

A vintage color photograph of Montrose Elementary, capturing the mid-20th-century architectural style of a single-story school building set against a backdrop of lush trees and distant hills, highlighting the rural educational environment of the time.

Until the Montrose Elementary School opened in 1952, pupils went by bus to the L J Morrish Elementary in Trail. Built on land donated by Len Simmons, the school opened three classrooms in January, 1952, with twenty-one pupils in grade 1 to 3 and twenty-two pupils in grades 4 to 6. Mr. S. (Buzz) Nutini […]

WANETA

Waneta School

The earliest school in our area was the Waneta School, a 22′ by 34′ frame construction building on a one-acre lot, situated directly across the road from the Pend d’Oreille Cemetery [information obtained from Art Buckley interview]. It opened in September 1893 and was in operation (according to public school records in Victoria) until June […]

PARK SIDING

A historical black and white photo of the Park Siding School, showing its classic one-room schoolhouse design with a bell tower, surrounded by a natural forest landscape. The image captures a serene educational setting from a bygone era.

The first one was built on John Potter Bell’s property. The 16′ by 18′ log school was built by John P. Bell and an older gentleman in his employ, in the fall of 1912. Mr. A.S. Ellis had the five Bell children and two McIntosh boys as his first pupils when the school opened. Miss […]

MEADOW SPUR

“Clara Graham, who was the daughter of Samuel Barkley, moved with her family from Trail, crossing the Columbia River in a small rowboat and staying overnight at Bauer’s stopping place at Sayward [now Columbia Gardens], the station on the Nelson & Fort Sheppard branch of the Great Northern Railway nearest to Trail, and arriving the […]

FRUITVALE

A sepia-toned historical photograph of the Fruitvale School from 1911. In front of the wooden schoolhouse stands a group of students, a mix of boys and girls of various ages, dressed in the style of the early 20th century. The children are lined up for the photo, with some seated on the ground. Behind them, the school features a prominent bell tower and large windows. The environment around the school is rural with trees and open land visible in the background, indicative of the school's community setting at the time.

The first school was opened in 1907. The teacher from 1907-1908 was Mr. Tom Henderson and there were nineteen girls and nine boys present.In 1910, a school was opened on the site of the first primary school (where the Seniorsʼ Manor is). At this time the school also served as a community hall. In 1921 […]

COLUMBIA GARDENS

A black and white photograph of Columbia Gardens School, featuring its simple architecture with a peaked roof and rows of windows. A set of wooden stairs leads up to the main entrance, which is sheltered by a small porch. The building sits on a rough landscape with unfinished wooden beams and debris scattered in the foreground, suggesting either construction or disrepair. The stark, functional design is characteristic of rural schools from the early 20th century. Behind the school, the gentle slope of a hill rises, hinting at the school’s setting in a valley or rural area.

Seven-eighths of an acre was purchased for a school lot around 1910 – Lot no. 53, Section 20, Township 7A. The size of the school was 33′ by 27′ by 12′; it was built in 1910 – 1911. From 1926 on, they had grades one to ten. The District paid approximately $600 toward salaries; the […]

BEAVER VALLEY JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

Photograph of the Beaver Valley Junior Secondary School taken during the day, showcasing its modern 1980s architecture. The building has clean lines, flat roofs, and a mix of brown and beige exterior walls, with a bold red door serving as the main entrance. A series of concrete steps lead up to the school, flanked by lush green grass and tall pine trees that imply a peaceful natural setting around the educational facility.

By the late 1960’s the old Fruitvale School on Laurie Street and the new elementary school on Columbia Gardens Road were filled to capacity. A new junior high school was built further along Columbia Gardens Road, and in October 1970, Principal Lloyd Wilkinson and staff supervised pupils from grades 8 through 10 as they carried […]

BEAVER FALLS

A black and white photograph of Beaver Falls School, with a view capturing its simple architecture amidst a snowy landscape, fenced by a rustic wooden barrier. The photo, attributed to the BC Archives, reflects a piece of educational history in British Columbia.

An acre of land was donated for the school by Mr. and Mrs. Boyd C. Affleck. Building plans from Victoria made provision for later expansion. The first school was built at least partly by volunteer labour. In the fall of 1939, pupils were taught in Hansen’s log house, and after Christmas in Love’s small Sunday […]

Do you have historical materials from School District No. 20, and former school districts No. 9 (Castlegar) & 11 (Trail)?
If so, please contact us HERE

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