Silver City Schoolhouse

Just up Morning Star Street you will see the large white schoolhouse. The growing town of Silver City built this beautiful schoolhouse in 1892. It was used until 1934 when the county seat moved from Silver to Murphy, and most of the remaining population left too.  The school housed all grades in three separate rooms and employed three teachers, one for primary, one for intermediate, and one for high school. They usually hired single people for these jobs and there was a lot of turnover as many younger women were inundated with marriage proposals soon after arriving in town. 

Former students talked about the cold walk to school through snow drifts that could reach eight to ten feet high. Many students would also ski to school or during their lunch break. The only heat in the big schoolhouse rooms was one wood stove also used to dry out wet woolen clothes. Double-seating desks with inkwells filled the three rooms. Many former students wrote their names and graduation dates on a back inside wall and those can still be seen today.  

Over the years, the schoolhouse fell into disrepair and was in need of major renovations. With the help of the May family, grants, and the Idaho Heritage Trust, the building received major remodeling and preservation help in the early 2000s. The building is currently owned jointly by the Idaho Cattleman's Association, the Melba School District, and the Silver City Property Owners.