Crow Valley School Museum

The Crow Valley School Museum welcomes visitors for another season on May 22nd from 12–4pm at 1701 Crow Valley Rd. Knowledgeable docents will be on-site to offer a fun and informative look at island education. The museum is located next to the North Trailhead of Turtleback Mountain Preserve, making it an ideal destination for a day of picnicking and learning. The Crow Valley School was built in 1888 and served as both an educational and community hub until it closed in 1918. It taught grades one through eight, with lessons focused on the practical applications of basic math and English. Students often walked miles to attend and helped with group chores such as chopping firewood and collecting water from a nearby stream. Thanks to restoration work by Richard Schneider and Bud McBride, much of the schoolhouse has been preserved. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and has been under the stewardship of the Orcas Island Historical Museums since 2011.