Built in 1897, this school was named for the first Detroit Public Schools female principal. The first incarnation of this school was a rural one-room schoolhouse that was built in 1886 and annexed by the city in 1892. Despite the second floor not being completed yet, the school opened for students in January 1898. This school was renovated in 1960 and operated until 1980, when its replacement was completed. DPS sold the building, which was soon abandoned by the new owners. Currently, this is the oldest public school building still standing in Detroit.

This was my fourth attempt at exploring this school. The first three times I tried, the earliest in 2015, there was no point of entry but this time was different. I love old schools like this, so I was not disappointed despite that it was mostly empty. I had read that a segment of the roof had collapsed and taken out the center section of the building. There was a collapsed section in the center but the basement hallway was not blocked and there was a stairwell at both ends so I didn't miss as much as I thought I would.

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IMG_3525 by KMD1720, on Flickr

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IMG_3487 by KMD1720, on Flickr

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IMG_3500 by KMD1720, on Flickr

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IMG_3513 by KMD1720, on Flickr

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IMG_3520 by KMD1720, on Flickr

#5 I felt like kids could come out those doors any second now.

Cool spot! I like the woodwork in these old places. Looks like this one is too far gone to save.