Bob Kisken sent these photos to milescity.com. He took these photos years ago someplace probably southeast of Miles City.

Bob was hoping someone might be able to tell him a little about the history of these old one-room schoolhouses.

Don't know about the other one but I believe the hip roof building was built by my Grandfather Elmer Anderson around the Forsyth area. (This was told to me by my Mother) Don'tknow the particulars, but they needed a schoolhouse and he offered to build it for them. He was a college graduate, played many instruments, was very handsome, built many structures with the hip roof like that, including his own farmhouse in Willard, Montana. He was a rancher and photographer, died at age 34, leaving his wife, Mattie and 5 children. Hope this helps.

The second picture looks like the Bebe school house about 20 miles south of :MC:

My first guess was that it might be the SY (or SH?) rural school which is on the Tongue River dirt road between Miles City and Ashland based on how it looks...but I don't think that's it.

Other than that, I'll digress by saying there have been moments when I've been envious of those who have received their educations at rural schools. One thing I noticed back in my day is that a classmate or 2 who had received their elementary educations at rural schools and then moved into town to join our class for high school were VERY sharp and much better-informed about current events than those of us who had been in town up until then. I thought this most likely was because the teacher-to-student ratio at rural schools favored the students so the teacher could better provide individual attention when needed.

[Edited by Shu Pius (2/10/2020 10:25:35 AM)]

Here's another photo from Bob Kisken. Bob took this photo inside the Jersey Lilly Saloon & Eatery in Ingomar, Montana, "around 40 years ago".

I believe that is the former owner, Bill Seward, behind the bar in the white cap and red suspenders.

EDITED TO ADD: The video game behind the guy with the cowboy hat is Frogger which wasn't released until October of 1981. So this photo was taken some time after that.

[Edited by David Schott (2/14/2020 12:35:06 AM)]

The pictures are not the SH or the SY. Both are still operating. The SY was originally located on the east side of the Broadus highway but burned several years ago. It was replaced by a building on the west side of the highway. You pass by it on the way to Broadus.

The SH is located on the Moon Creek road. It is accessible from the Moon Creek road or from the Tongue River road. It is roughly 42 miles from either direction.

Robert Martelle wrote:

The pictures are not the SH or the SY. Both are still operating. The SY was originally located on the east side of the Broadus highway but burned several years ago. It was replaced by a building on the west side of the highway. You pass by it on the way to Broadus.

The SH is located on the Moon Creek road. It is accessible from the Moon Creek road or from the Tongue River road. It is roughly 42 miles from either direction.

Are you sure about the SH? If it is the one on the east side of the road about 10 miles south, it lost its roof several years ago, when the high winds tracked across the area and eventually tore things up at 12 mile. I am also lost at your 42 mile reference, not sure how that relates. Where is your starting point? I am certainly no expert on this topic.

MRH Wrote: Are you sure about the SH? If it is the one on the east side of the road about 10 miles south, it lost its roof several years ago, when the high winds tracked across the area and eventually tore things up at 12 mile. I am also lost at your 42 mile reference, not sure how that relates. Where is your starting point? I am certainly no expert on this topic"

The SH School is approximately 42 southwest of Miles City accessible from either the Moon Creek Road (Exit 126 I 94) or the Tongue River Road (through the Bice Ranch - formerly SH Ranch). I am absolutely sure because I am the District Clerk of the SH Elementary School District 86 and was just out there Wednesday night for a board meeting.

What's interesting is Google lists the SH School at 6281 Moon Creek Rd and labels it as "permanently closed".

SH School, Montana

The second building and surrounding terrain appears very similar to this one here on MT 59 (coordinates 46.151944, -105.576570 / 46°09'07.0"N 105°34'35.7"W) 21.4 miles south of I-94 in Miles City. Here is an awful street view of it.

Is this what was known as the SY School?

Cheryl, do you know whereabouts in the Forsyth area the school your grandfather built was located?

David Schott wrote:

What's interesting is Google lists the SH School at 6281 Moon Creek Rd and labels it as "permanently closed".

SH School, Montana

You mean, we cannot believe everything we read on the internet?

Not only is the school not closed, the location shown on the map is incorrect. By scrolling down several miles on the Moon Creek Road, I was able to find the school. There is an aerial view that shows the building. Two propane tanks are visible near the cattle guard entrance. The location of the real SH School is 45.955392 106.087626. I have tried to submit a correction.
Isn't it surprising that people who live and work in the area may know more than Google?

Today it does not say the school is "permanently closed" so I'm not sure if that was a temporary glitch or if someone submitted a correction that got applied already.

Robert Martelle wrote:

Isn't it surprising that people who live and work in the area may know more than Google?

Until you told us, I did not have a clue who you were or what you did. I often go down 20 miles but normally, not much further.

A couple more photos taken in the Miles City area by Bob Kisken. Bob said he would love to learn the history behind the buildings if anyone knows it.

From the last 2 pictures posted I’m guessing they are a homestead north of Broadus next to the highway. The other buildings may be somewhere in the same region but I would guess south towards Biddle.

David Schott wrote:

The second building and surrounding terrain appears very similar to this one here on MT 59 (coordinates 46.151944, -105.576570 / 46°09'07.0"N 105°34'35.7"W) 21.4 miles south of I-94 in Miles City. Here is an awful street view of it.

Is this what was known as the SY School?

Cheryl, do you know whereabouts in the Forsyth area the school your grandfather built was located?

That’s not the SY school. SY echool is about the 37 mile marker on Hwy 59 across the road from the old Tonn place. Again, I think the school in the second picture was at Bebe about the 22-24 mile marker on Hwy 59.

I think the first school is Meadowbrook in the Pine Hills, about five miles past the Mizpah turn toward Baker.

Richard, you seem generally right about the location of the second "old schoolhouse" building. It is located on the east side of MT 59 south of Miles City at about mile marker 23.5. Google claims that Beebe is located at the turnoff to the Powderville Road which is another ~7 miles south.

Bruce, I believe you are correct about those old homestead buildings. They are located here on the east side of MT 59 about 4 miles north of the MT-59 / US 212 intersection. This appears to be approximately mile marker 72.2.

I have not been able to locate the first "old schoolhouse" building. With all the trees behind it you would think it is located near a creek or river.

What do you think, is this the second "old schoolhouse" building here on the east side of MT 59 about 5.7 miles north of Biddle?

Here you go:

Graham, Montana by Gary S, on Flickr

Thanks to Bruce Ingraham for putting me on the right track with this one.

Google Maps is incorrect on the location of Beebe. Beebe is back at the schoolhouse. There used to be a stage stop there. The old highway US 10 is visible and the school used to be to the west of the road. The road was moved in the mid 60's.

Great information, Richard. The only thing I'm confused by is your reference to US 10. I believe MT-59 was known as U.S. 312 for a while.

I screwed up on the US 10 bit. You are correct about US 312.

Thanks for the clarification, Richard.

Another thing, Ike Eichler seems to think that Google is correct about the location of Beebe:

Bart, Going south on the Broadus Highway a turn to the left on the Powderville or as some call it the Deer Creek road You have seen an old falling down barn at the junction of the highway and the Powderville road. The barn is almost completly caved in now. That and just north across the road was Beebe. Ike

https://milescity.com/for...7892#37929