District 123 School, also known as Bass Lake School, undated. Photo: Plymouth History Center
In 1892, town clerk Jonas H. Howe wrote that Plymouth’s “… inhabitants are nearly all farmers and fully convinced that the best stock is the schoolhouse.” This note clearly illustrates the community’s early emphasis on education.
The first schools in Plymouth were one-room buildings named by numbers assigned by the county. The first school, District 95 (located where the Beacon Heights neighborhood is today on Highway 55), was built in 1858. Ten additional schools opened around Plymouth by the turn of the century.
Consolidation of one-room schools and their replacement with modern buildings began in the 1920s as attendance increased around town. The last one-room school, District 47 (Deziel School, located at the corner of Holly Lane and Rockford Road), was burned down as part of fire department training in 1973.
The Plymouth History Center has yearbooks as well as student, teacher and PTA records about many schools. Contact staff for more information.
Ryan Barland is the historic site coordinator for the City of Plymouth. Discover more at history.plymouthmn.gov.
