Ferry Street School

Built in 1867 and costing almost $3000, the Ferry Street School open the following January as a school for African American children.  The school closed two years later when the Niles school system was integrated and then reopened in 1873 as a school for all children no matter what race.  After serving as a school until 1975, Niles citizens began restoring the ordinal building back to its 19^th century style.  One room schools back then typically contained wood burning stoves, wood boxes, water benches, coat pegs, wooden blackboards and long rows of desks.