Our History
Our History
Thank you to Joan Gilmore, former superintendent’s secretary and author of “North Whidbey Pioneer Schools (1986),” and the Whidbey News Times for documenting this history.
A Timeline of Oak Harbor Schools
- The first school in Oak Harbor was built in 1886 and was called Brann’s Camp School – located in a logging camp on Green Road in the Silver Lake area. Most schooling was for younger children through 8th grade since family farming was a priority.
- 17 small, unregulated schools dotted across North Whidbey before our current schools, mostly on donated land and built by community members.
- Most families didn’t have cars until 1914. Imagine what a walk to and from school might have been like for those students and teachers! During this time a cougar scare forced many families to bring their children to school by horse and buggy.
- The first high school was built out of local materials in 1911 on the SE corner of 700 Ave E and Midway Blvd. on 10 acres of land that were donated by William Izett. It was the first school to have indoor plumbing and house a hot lunch program. Now only the ground floor of the once three-story building stands.
- Smith Transfer, Oak Harbor Transfer and Fakkema Motors provided the first school bus in 1920 – a frieght truck with removable seats with a tarp for protection that doubled as cattle transport during the school day.
- In 1920 the first Associated Student Body was created.
- In 1921 the student newspaper the “Breeze” was founded.
- In 1934 the high school moved to the location that is now Oak Harbor Elementary School.
- In 1943 an elementary school was built next to the high school – today this location is still home to Oak Harbor Elementary School. This new elementary school site replaced all of the existing pioneer schools in the area.
- The first annual year book was created 1922.
- Memorial Stadium was built in 1944 next to where the current transportation office is. It was the first lighted baseball stadium in northwest Washington!
- In 1974 the high school moved to its current location.
Locations of North Whidbey’s Original Pioneer Schools
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Freund’s School, located near what is now downtown Oak Harbor, 1896-1902, followed by Central School, near current City Hall
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Swantown School, Crosby Road, 1900-1920s
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First Clover Valley School, CPO Club, late 1800s-1929
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Crescent Harbor, late 1800s-1924 or 1925
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First Cornet School, Northgate Terrace, 1904-1912. It was 16 by 24 feet and could hold 10 children. A larger Cornet School followed from 1912-1929
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First Sandy Flats School, near Torpedo Gate, 1915-1919
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Dugualla School, Dugualla Bay, 1916-1917
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Watson Corner School, Monroe Landing Road, 1916-1925
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Silver Lake Schools, same building used on Strawberry Point Road then moved one and one-half miles south, 1904-1925
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Oak Harbor High School, southeast corner of 700 Ave. E. and Midway Boulevard, 1911-1948
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Oak Harbor High School, now Oak Harbor Elementary School, 1934-present
Do you have more notable history of our schools to share? Email briefs@ohsd.net to submit your information!
- Silver Lake School
- Watson Corner School
- Central School
- 1911 Oak Harbor High School Construction
- Oak Harbor High School 1911
- Oak Harbor High School & Midway Blvd
- 1929 School Bus Fleet
- 1925 Orchestra
- 1922 Football