Ferry Street Schoolhouse starts memorial park fundraising campaign

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- The Ferry Street Schoolhouse was built in the 1860s as a segregated school for African American students and later became a community hub for education and social services.

Then, in May 2023, tragedy struck as a fire destroyed the building, leaving only the front facade standing.

That's when the Niles History Center, Ferry Street Resource Center, and the city came together with a vision to turn the site into a memorial park that honors the past while serving the future.

"We're really excited right now. The goal is to preserve what's left of the of the building, get it back accessible to people, so people can be there, and we'll see where it goes from there," Niles History Center Director Christina Arseneau said.

Through crowdfunding and grants, the city, Historical Society, and Resource Center are working together to make the memorial park a reality.
If the campaign meets its goal of $15,000 by April 25, it will unlock a matching grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, doubling the funds available for the project.

Plans for the school include an open space for gatherings, educational panels about the school’s history, and possibly a community garden or playground.

"We're always reminded of what we did there and what it's been in the past. We know how historically significant it is to this city, and not even just to the city, but several people who come to us and say, my grandmother went there. There are people that are just connected to it. And so, we knew it was very important. We wanted to somehow help to preserve it," Executive Director of the Ferry Street Resource Center Ric Pawloski said.

If you're interested in supporting this project, you may do so here.