NORTH CASCADES History Basic Data

excerpts from Nomination Forms National Register of Historic Places Inventory for North Cascades National Park

1. NAME
Stehekin School

2. LOCATION
Stehekin, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
Chelan County,
Washington

3. CLASSIFICATION
Category—Building; Ownership—Public; Status—Occupied, Unrestricted; Present Use—Educational, Park

4. OWNER OF PROPERTY
Stehekin Community
Stehekin,
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area,
Washington

5. LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION
Chelan County, Chelan, Washington

6. REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS
None

7. DESCRIPTION
Condition—Excellent, Unaltered, Original Site

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

A single-story, log, one-room school serving the primary grades of Stehekin village. Said to be the last one-room school in Washington. Has a large front porch, protected by a projecting gable roof. At the rear of the school is a one-room addition that serves as an apartment for the teacher. The school is but a few yards from the famed Rainbow Falls.

Built in 1921 by the citizens of Stehekin, with a special permit from the U.S. Forest Service. The school is still in operation, although the number of students at present is less than 10.

8. SIGNIFICANCE
Period—20th Century; Areas of Significance—Education, Social/Humanitarian

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

After many years of teaching their children in their own homes or by having a paid teacher live in the valley and teach in private homes, the citizens of the isolated community of Stehekin reached an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service in 1921 to erect a school on National Forest land.

Using materials gathered in the Stehekin Valley, the citizens contributed their skills and erected the one-room log building, which has been in use ever since. It is said to be the last one-room school in Washington.

It is an excellent example of the swiftly-disappearing era when most rural Americans received their first education in one-room schools. It symbolizes the democratic action of a community determined to educate its young, although isolated from the mainstreams.

9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

E. N. Thompson, "North Cascades National Park, Basic Data Study"

10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
48° 20' 5" 120° 40' 10"

11. FORM PREPARED BY
Erwin N. Thompson, Historian
Office of History and Historic Archi.,
Eastern Service Center,
National Park Service, Washington, D.C.
June 19, 1970

12. STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION/NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION

1. NAME
Stehekin School

2. LOCATION
Stehekin, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
Chelan County,
Washington

3. MAP REFERENCE
See report, Thompson, "North Cascades NP, Basic Data", 1970

4. REQUIREMENTS

1. NAME
Stehekin School

2. LOCATION
Stehekin, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
Chelan County,
Washington

3. PHOTO REFERENCE
Erwin Thompson, 1969, ESC, Washington, D.C.

4. IDENTIFICATION

Stehekin School. NPS Photo.