Historic Southern Indiana schoolhouse placed on state's 'endangered' list

A one-room schoolhouse in Gibson County is among the "10 most endangered" structures in the state, Indiana Landmarks announced this week.

The Sollman School has sat in Snake Run, an unincorporated community outside Fort Branch, since around 1875. Formerly an educational hub for a group of farming families, it served as a community gathering spot after students left for the consolidated school system in 1927.

But it's since fallen into disrepair. Missing windows dot the building like punched-out teeth. Stephanie Richard, director of Indiana Landmarks' southwest field office, said it has ancient siding and a roof in desperate need of replacement.

"There's likely water infiltrating into the structure, but nothing has collapsed as of right now," she said.

She hopes its inclusion on the list will help spark funding for the work it needs. According to a Monday news release, Indiana Landmarks has highlighted 170 structures since it started its "endangered" list in 1991. Of those, 105 have been restored or are no longer in danger, while only 20 have been demolished.

Sollman is the last one-room schoolhouse in the county, the release states.

Last year, the Gibson County Parks Board greenlit an effort to find funding to move the schoolhouse to Hopkins Family Park. According to the Princeton Daily Clarion , officials hoped it could become a stop on field trips and, if only for a moment, house students again.

But Eric Heidenreich, executive director of Gibson County's visitors and tourism bureau, told the Courier & Press estimates on the cost to move the building were "substantial." The bones of the school, he said, need to be "buttoned-up," and the amount of money needed left the effort in limbo.

But at least one member of the Gibson County commissioners is trying to secure American Rescue Plan funds for the project, he said.

"The good thing about the designation on this endangered list is it does bring the conversation back into the public realm," Heidenreich said. "It's a cool building, but it is getting in pretty bad shape. So something is going to have to happen soon or it won't be able to be saved."

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Historic Southern Indiana schoolhouse placed on state's 'endangered' list