1910 Ola Schoolhouse
Ola, Gem County
- Grants: 2019, 2020 – dry rot removal and structural stabilization
Location: 11475 Ola School Road, Ola, ID
Built in 1910, the Ola School has hosted many generations of Emmett County students and was listed on n the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. When first built, the school had stables for students who commuted by horseback, and the first school bus to serve the community was a decommissioned an army troop-carrier. At its inception, a single teacher, Mr. Roy Moss, taught all eight grades. In the 1940s, the building went through some significant changes. Idaho’s school system consolidated, so Ola Schoolhouse absorbed the students from surrounding areas, ballooning the total enrollment to a robust 46. Around this time, electricity was implemented in the building, and a second teacher was hired.
In addition to its continued function as an elementary schoolhouse, the Ola School hosts many community events, and the entryway is open to the public with displays of historic photos and school antiques. The area surrounding the main building was deemed a National Wildlife School Ground after Idaho Fish & Game partnered with teachers and students to reintroduce native flora to the area by planting over 500 shrubs, trees, and flowers around the school.
