982 E DIVISION ST

982 E DIVISION ST

Pierce

River Falls

1955

1958, 1964, 1991

2014

school – elem/middle/jr high/high

Contemporary

Brick

Ellerbe & Co. (St. Paul, Mn)

No

This one-story, brick-sheathed school building is comprised of four primary periods of construction: 1955 (main block) and 1958 (Kindergarten room); 1965 (additional classrooms); 1990-1991 (gymnasium) and 2013 (offices). The school is a relatively vernacular interpretation of the Contemporary style, which was not uncommon for public educational facilities built in the 1950s and 1960s. Continuous bands of windows topped with whimsically painted metal trim are the sole embellishments to the building, aside from some modest stepped brickwork. The interior arrangement of the 1950s and 1960s-era portions of the building remains largely intact and includes terrazzo floors and tiled walls; however, the building’s original gymnasium/lunch room has been converted for use as a library and a new gym was built at the eastern end of the building and the original office space has been converted for classroom use.

The original portion of the Greenwood Elementary School was completed in 1955. Until that time, the elementary grades were located in the high school building at 211 Fremont Street (See discussion to follow). Despite a 1950 addition to the high school, the school district found itself in need of a new facility for elementary-age students because, as of 1954, one section of first grade was located off campus, at the Lutheran church. A referendum for a bond issue to construct a new building was held on 19 January 1954; it was approved by a vote of 579-164. The new facility was designed by Ellerbe & Co. of St. Paul, Minnesota, the same firm that designed the high school on Fremont Street, as well as the 1950 addition to it. The general contract was awarded to the Harold Purtell Construction Company, also of St. Paul, with a bid of $251,600. Construction began in mid-May and the school was cited to be completed in 365 days at a total cost of $412,810. The 1955 school included one room for each grade (K-6), a teacher’s lounge, office, nurse’s office, kitchen and physical education/lunch room. Three years later, an additional Kindergarten room was added at a cost of $28,500.

Even with the subject new building in service, there was still one elementary grade each located at the Fremont Street school building. In September 1964, with a vote of 402-103, the citizens of River Falls approved the construction of a thirteen-room addition to the east side of the elementary school which was completed the following year. Despite the construction of a west side elementary school building in 1970, another addition was required at Greenwood between 1990 and 1991, with the most recent addition completed two years ago. The school currently accommodates grades K-5.

“Elementary School Inc. Explained by Supt. Dawson,” RFJ, 14 January 1954, 1/3-7; “Referendum Vote on School Bond Issue Gets Approval,” RFJ, 21 January 1954, 1/8; “Board of Education, Supt. Dawson Express Gratification on Vote,” RFJ, 28 January 1954, 1/1-2; “New Elementary School Thrills Kids as They Start Learning,” RFJ, 1 September 1955, 1/6; Dan Geister, “A Case for the Academy Pt. 5—River Falls Public Schools—the Lawrence Dawson Years 1938-1968,” Available online at http://piercecountyhistorical.areavoices.com, Posted on 23 February 2011, Accessed May 2015, includes information regarding Greenwood Elementary School, including an image of the original 1955 school building.

Not Listed