School History Part 2: Rising from the Ashes (1872-1926)

The original schoolhouse was lost in the 1871 fire, but the community quickly rebuilt. By 1872, a grand two-story school stood at Second and School Street, featuring a stage for productions. For over 50 years, this building was the heart of education in Port Hope. In those early years, boys often only attended school in winter, helping on farms the rest of the year. Education was a community effort, with parents teaching children at home when they couldn’t attend school.

By the late 1800s, the Port Hope school had become a bustling center of activity. In 1888, the Bad Axe Democrat reported that local kids had taken to roosting in the schoolhouse belfry, much to the annoyance of the school trustees. Despite its charm, the old schoolhouse was known to creak and groan in windstorms, a memory that stuck with many former students.

Discover more about the history of school days in Port Hope and explore countless other fascinating stories by picking up a copy of "Portrait of a Village: Port Hope, Huron County, Michigan" at the Mercantile.