Schoolhouses

First Schoolhouse

The first schoolhouse at Omard was a simple frame building believed to have been located at approximately (43.257242, -82.903383). This original building (first public structure in the township), built in 1863, burned in 1865 and a replacement was built in 1867 in its place which came to be referred to as the “Little Red Schoolhouse”. Before the Omard Methodist Episcopal Church was built (1896), the congregation met in this schoolhouse. Also, other congregations sometimes met in this schoolhouse before their respective church buildings were built. This further illustrates the wide usage of this building by the community.

Second Schoolhouse

As mentioned above, the second schoolhouse at Omard was built in 1867 to replace the first after it burned in 1865. It was called the “Little Red Schoolhouse” most likely due to it being painted red and was used until the third and final schoolhouse was built at Omard in 1904. The “Little Red Schoolhouse” remained standing (but was not actively used) until at least the 1930s.

Final Schoolhouse

The third and final schoolhouse was built at Omard in 1904 with classes beginning in January of 1905 and it was made of concrete blocks and was located at approximately (43.257549, -82.913619).

List of Flynn Township Schoolhouses

Lane (Dist. No. 3)
- ~1882 – Miss Anna Keena, the first teacher
North Muck (Flynn-Elmer?)
- ~1912, from PP, RS, part of Elmer Twp – Miss Verna Evans, the first teacher
Omard (Dist. No. 1) (3 successive buildings)
- First, built 1863; burned 1865
- Second, “Little Red Schoolhouse”, built 1867 – Miss Swayze, the first teacher
- Third, built 1904; classes began 1905 – M.J. Hawes, the first teacher
Poplar Point (Dist. No. 5)
- 1889, from Omard dist. – Miss Cora Lutes, the first teacher
Red Star (Dist. No. 2) (2 successive buildings)
- First, built ~1875 – Emma Erwin, the first teacher
- Second, built 1889 – Katie V. Hager, the first teacher
South Muck (Dist. No. 4) (2 successive buildings)
- First, built ~1900; burned – Miss Anna Potter, the first teacher
- Second, built 1912 of brick

Schoolhouse locations. . .

There were a few other schoolhouses located in the vicinity of Omard and Flynn Township. Below is a map of some of the nearby ones as well as some of the others in the Thumb area. Or click here.