National and State Registers of Historic Places
Rocky Ford School
1969 Barnes Road
Manhattan vicinity (Riley County)
Listed in National Register
2012-01-20
Architect: Undetermined
Category: school
Thematic Nomination: Historic Public Schools of Kansas
Rocky Ford School is a one-room limestone schoolhouse near Manhattan in Riley County that was built in 1903 and rebuilt in 1927 after a fire. Various repairs and improvements were made to the property within its first two decades. An outhouse was built in 1904, a well was first excavated in 1909, but a new well was dug in 1933, and a merry-go-round was installed in 1929. These contributing elements remain associated with the property. The school building served first through eighth grade students in District 70 until consolidation with District 1 in 1938. Although consolidation had been a topic of discussion during District 70 board meetings as early as 1921, they chose to rebuild the school after a fire nearly destroyed it in 1927. Builder Fred Hulse used the original limestone during the reconstruction and improvements, such as electric lighting, were made. The building is nominated as part of the "Historic Public Schools of Kansas" multiple property nomination for its educational and architectural significance.
