Although a school, supported by subscription, had been conducted in what would become Lyon County as early as 1869, school districts were not organized until 1871. The first school district of Lyon County was established by the board of county commissioners on March 18, 1871. At the meeting, G.W. Whitney was appointed superintendent of common schools for Lyon County.

In the fall of 1873 the first schoolhouse in Lyon County was built in Lower Lynd at the cost of $700 and belonged to District No. 1. The school was located on a rise about a quarter mile west of the Kiel and Morgan Hotel Historic Site on the north side of the road. The Camden School District No. 14 was located just to the right of the old entrance gate to Camden State Park. The school was built into the hill in 1874.

In 1905, the Lynd School District #1 and the Camden School District #14 became the first consolidated school district in Minnesota. The two single-room schools were combined into a single two-room schoolhouse in Lynd on the site of the present Lynd Public school building. In 1908, a second story was added. A fire destroyed the frame building in 1922. In 1923, a brick building was erected, which is now the older part of the present school.

In Lyon County there were approximately 87 schools scattered at not more than a distance of 2 miles apart from each other. The buildings were placed close together because a state law read that children were not allowed to walk more than 2 miles to school. School consolidation in the mid-20th century closed the common schools in the county. The school buildings and contents were often sold at auctions. Many of the school buildings were either destroyed or moved. Today, a few of the schoolhouses in Lyon County still exist. LCHS maintains the District #80 Westerheim Township schoolhouse located at the Lyon County Fairgrounds.

The photograph featured this week from the Lyon County Museum’s collection is the District #83 schoolhouse, which was located in the southwest corner of Section 35 in Sodus Township.

We are working on updating our school exhibit at the museum. If you attended a one room schoolhouse in Lyon County and would like to be interviewed, please give the museum a call at 507-537-6580. LCHS board of directors president, Bill Palmer, is interested in interviewing people who attended a one room schoolhouse in Lyon County. Also, if you have items from one room schoolhouses in Lyon County to donate or loan for the exhibit, please let us know. Example of items include: photographs, souvenir cards, awards, or items from the buildings.

The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a nonprofit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 West Lyon Street in Marshall. The Lyon County Museum is open year-round to visitors. To contact us, visit our website: www.lyonomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or on our Facebook page.