Andrews School (Shelby Fractional District No 4) was built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It is a wood-frame structure with 3 windows on either side and two front doors: one for boys and one for girls. Two more windows are on the back of the building. It was used until the 1950s, then had a succession of owners, one of which converted it into a two-family flat. Later it was purchased by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station at the 25 Mile and Mound Rd location. This endeavor apparently failed, and in April 1975 the building was sold for $1 to the Shelby Township Bicentennial Committee with the intent that they move the building within 90 days and then restore it.
The original plan was to use an Army cargo helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base to drop a hook and sling arrangement around the building and fly it to its new location at the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave. It was later decided that this might crush the building, so they attempted to lift it by its roof. The roof came off! Finally, a US Army Transport crew and the US Army Corp of Engineers moved the building by ground transport to its present location on the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds.
There were many problems! The concrete foundations didn't fit; the building was placed on the foundation backwards; the roof was damaged beyond repair; the walls were weakened and wood-eating beetles were moved along with the building. A master carpenter, Heinz Lambertz, and three assistants were hired to solve the problems. A new roof was put on just weeks before the first snowfall. An exterminator rid the building of its beetles, wobbly walls were secured to the foundation and the ceiling was braced against the gabled roof. The back of the building was made to look like the front as doors and what were once a cloak-room were moved. Insulation and new wood siding were added.
The outhouse came from the Kreager Farm that was located on Schoenherr Road in Shelby Township. It was rescued by the Shelby Township Historical Committee days before the farmstead was demolished in 2009. It was restored and placed here next to Andrews School in 2012.
The bell tower and its original bell adds to the charm of this one-room Andrews Schoolhouse.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.
Andrews School, Shelby Fractional District No 4 Schoolhouse, built between 1864 and 1871 at the northeast corner of 25 Mile Road and Mound Rd, and named for Hiram Andrews who owned the land on which the school was built. It was used until the 1950s, then bought by Amoco Oil Company who hoped to turn it into a gas station. This endeavor apparently failed, and it was moved in 1975 to the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave, Shelby Township, Michigan. The move was originally attempted via a hook and sling via an Army helicopter from Selfridge Air Force Base, but this failed and ground transport was eventually used.