It is not often that all the history for an old building can be found in one place. This time we did. Thanks to some members of the community, all the history for this building is available on the site. You are welcome to enter the building, take a look around and sign the guest book. Please make sure that you close the doors when you leave to keep all the “critters” out of this beautiful old building.
According to the information found on site, this building was originally built as a school.
JENSEN SCHOOL
“Settlement in the Pendant d’Oreille community began in 1909 and the whole area soon filled with new families eager to begin homesteading on the prairies. In the spring of 1912 plans were made to build a school to education all the children now living here.
One of the homesteaders, Martin Jensen, offered to donate land for the new school so it was named the Jensen School District. Jensen was also Justice of the Peace for the area at the time. However his site on the north side of the road sloped downhill. So a special committee was appointed to look over proposed sites and pick the one most suitable. In their report they advised that the N.E. corner of Section 22, just across the road (owned by Albert Anthony) offered “the best layout for a school ground.” Thus the site was changed and the school built here. However they still retained the name ‘Jensen’ for the school.
Ulrick Klevgaard’s bid of $90.00 to build it was accepted and lumber was purchased from Cypress Lumber for $275.00. Ed Everson was paid $105.00 to haul the materials out from Seven Persons. The school was to be completed by September 1st, 1912.”
The school was usually open April through November but closed in the winters depending on the weather. The number of students varied each year. The last records of classes that is listed in the school is 1938.
The history of how the school became a church is also listed at the site.
“In the early years, there were at least four different church groups meeting in the Pendant d”Oreille area. Most of these services were held in homes. However, after the school houses were built, they were also used for these church services. Rev. Christian Hoversten who homesteaded in Comrey, began holding services in these local school houses – Comrey, Ketchum and the newly built Jensen school”
There was a time when the settlers started moving away from the community, then there was an influx of new people. Most were of Scandinavian decent.
“In 1958 under Pastor Dahlen, the Lutheran church was officially reorganized in Pendeant d’Oreille with the new name of Redeemer Lutheran church. Since the Jensen school building was no longer used as a school, the community purchased ti to be used as the church. We are told they paid the school district a dollar for this property.”
After you tour the site and go to find the cache, please watch where you walk. Very close to the cache we were able to find at least one depression of where an outhouse stood. We also suggest that you park at the entrance to the site and walk in. There are some big dirt mounds and rocks along what we thought would be the driveway.