Birmingham, MI

Barnum School
Birmingham, MI
Photos and info courtesy Richard Weiss

Soon to be another blank lot is the site of Barnum School in Birmingham, MI. The fence of doom already surrounds the building as the City of Birmingham plans to demolish the school to build a a park.

Unlike most demos, this building is still in immaculate condition. Originally, there was talk about demolishing only the 1960's addition, but then it was decided the entire building must go. A group has fought hard to keep the original 1912 portion, but if Tiger Stadium or the Pontiac Asylum are to be our guide, it is a vain attempt. Seems that if it is in the hands of state or local government, it really doesn't matter what the public wants and the bulldozer is the only solution. So as our heritage continues to be eradicated we can say hello to another empty lot. These photos were taken around June 2008. 07-08

UPDATE: The entrance you see here is all that remains regardless of the fight the people put up to save the building. The Barnum School building was in perfect condition but due to government's decision, another piece of history has been lost.

When it was first announced that the city was going to demolish Barnum school, a group pleaded to save at least the original 1910 portion, The city said it would cost too much to cut away the additions.

Barnum School entranceway
Birmingham, MI
Photos and info courtesy Richard Weiss

In these pictures, you can see how for the first time since 1927 the original school building was beginning to emerge from the rubble of the 1927 addition. The picture from September 28 shows the original Barnum School sign and the Barnum sign over the entrance of the 1927 addition. I took this one in the afternoon so it is backlit making it look like an overcast picture.

Barnum school sign
Birmingham, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

I went back a few days later. September 28 and saw the entire 1910 school was now visible, this with out any effort on the demolition crew to "Carve away the newer additions" and save the original building. Again this view had not been seen since 1927 meaning it is unlikely anyone alive had ever seen it.

Rubble
Birmingham, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Unfortunately on this day we experienced the remnants of Hurricane Fay which gave us drizzle and gray skies so I was not able to complete the series on a sunny day. This was labor day weekend and I left for vacation later that day. When I got back Monday evening, all that remained was a pile of rubble, I had hoped they would have removed the rubble from the already demolished portions before hammering on the original.

The old postcard on the left show what the original building looked like and what the group wanted it to look like again.

The other picture is from the rear, it shows now only the original building standing. 02-10

Barnum School
Birmingham, MI
Photos and info courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's a look at the old Barnum School in Birmingham, MI. By the time these photos were taken, the school was nearing the end of its long life, but it still carried plenty of character. Schools like this were built to last, with solid brick walls, stone details, and craftsmanship that's hard to imagine for an elementary school today.

Barnum School
Birmingham, MI
Photos and info courtesy Richard Weiss

Barnum first opened in 1912 as Birmingham's new elementary school during a period of rapid growth. As the city expanded, so did the school. Additions over the following decades transformed it into a much larger campus, and by the 1940s it had become the city's junior high school. Thousands of students passed through its doors before the building was finally retired.

One of the most interesting moments came during demolition. As crews removed the later additions, the original 1912 school briefly stood exposed once again, giving everyone a rare glimpse of what the building looked like before decades of expansion had wrapped around it.

Barnum School Demolition
Birmingham, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The school also held a few unexpected treasures. Hidden inside the library was a beautiful 1929 storybook fireplace decorated with colorful ceramic tiles depicting nursery rhyme scenes and animals. Rather than being lost with the building, the fireplace was carefully removed, restored, and now has a permanent home at the Birmingham Museum.

Even the entrance almost disappeared. Early plans called for clearing the entire site, but local residents pushed to save the handsome limestone entryway. Their efforts paid off, and today the old entrance still stands where generations of students once walked through its doors.

It's always nice to see at least part of a historic building survive. While a preserved doorway can never replace the original school, it gives visitors something tangible to connect with. Standing beneath the arch today, it's easy to picture children arriving for class, teachers greeting students, and the daily routine that played out here for nearly a century.

Barnum School Demolition
Birmingham, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Walking through Barnum Park today, it's hard to imagine that an entire school once occupied the site. The playgrounds and green space have replaced classrooms and hallways, but the preserved entrance serves as a reminder of what once stood here. It's a thoughtful way to honor the past while giving the property a new purpose.

Here are more photos of the Barnum School.

UPDATE: The site of the Barnum School has been converted into a park. The old entranceway still stands at the front of the park in tribute to the old historic school. 11-13

UPDATE: The school is gone, but its historic entrance arch remains as the centerpiece of Barnum Park, and the restored storybook fireplace is on display at the Birmingham Museum. 07-26

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