The Carleton District #3 School was originally built in 1916 as the Town of Granville’s third school district. It was subsequently modified through five different renovations; the most significant of which was completed in 1941 with WPA funds and labor. The school served the Granville area until it was annexed by the City of Milwaukee in 1948.

It is significant for its architecture, as a notable example of Depression-era public grade school architecture and for its Art Deco styling which showcase the building’s masonry, verticality, low-relief limestone carvings, and pronounced use of glass block. Remnants of earlier additions also remain with “Minimal-Georgian-style” multi-light windows, Regency-style copper roofs, and shallow fluted pilasters. It is one of less than a dozen Milwaukee Public Schools to retain its original windows.