Draft:Mid-Century Modern schools in Grand Forks, North Dakota

A number of Mid-Century Modern schools in Grand Forks, North Dakota have been deemed significant architecturally. Six schools were listed on the National Register on July 17, 2020, as a result of a study of 12 mid-century modern schools in Grand Forks.

The school board worked with three architectural firms: Wells-Denbrook; DeRemer, Harrie and Kennedy; and Grosz and Anderson.

A draft nomination was to be presented.

The study evaluated 12 schools in Fargo, and recommended six for listing.

West Elementary School (1949)
West Elementary School, at 615 North 25th St., was built in 1949 and was expanded in 1955. It is a red brick-clad one-story school upon a raised, poured concrete foundation clad in red brick.

It was designed by architect Theodore Wells.

"The school is named for former Grand Forks Schools superintendent, John C. West, who later became president of the University of North Dakota. Built in 1949, West Elementary was one of two public elementary schools constructed in the first wave of postwar expansion in the city. The other, Lincoln Elementary School (1948) was destroyed in the 1997 Red River flood. West Elementary was built for a cost of $375,000. The locations of these two early mid-century schools point to residential expansion between downtown and the University, and the Near Southside neighborhood, respectively. / The original school design is attributed to Theodore Wells of Wells-Denbrook architectural firm. School Board minutes of July 1948 note that a cost and time-saving measure of school planning was to have the architect utilize plans for another school and make adjustments for the lot size and orientation: “It was further proposed that Mr. Theodore B. Wells, having completed his drawing for the Winship School, use the same plans and specification for the west end school at the university.” (Series 1, Vol. 8, p.69). / The Wells-Denbrook firm also designed the 1955 mid-century addition. / The recessed main entrance faces east on N. 25th Street and overlooks University Park across the narrow residential street."

Lewis and Clark Elementary School (1953)
Lewis and Clark Elementary School, at 1100 13th Ave. South, is an elementary school which was built in 1953 and was expanded in 1955. It was designed by Sam DeRemer.

Valley Junior High School (1955)
Valley Junior High School, built in 1955, is at 2100 5th Ave. North 47.92417°N, -97.05639°W It was designed by architects Grosz and Anderson, and opened in 1955

Viking Elementary School (1957)
Viking Elementary School, was designed by DeRemer, Harrie and Kennedy. Its location at 809 22nd Ave. South is just ten blocks south of the 1953 Lewis and Clark Elementary School. It was built in 1957.

Ben Franklin Elementary School
The Ben Franklin Elementary School in Grand Forks, North Dakota, at 1016 South 20th St., is a school complex which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. It is Mid-Century Modern in style. It was designed by architects DeRemer, Harrie and Kennedy, one of whose principals is Sam DeRemer, son of architect Joseph Bell DeRemer.

Vandalism damaged the Ben Franklin school in July 2021.

In 2022 it is planned that $4 million will be invested in upgrading Ben Franklin school's heating and ventilation system.

Wilder Elementary School
The Wilder Elementary School, at 1009 North 3rd St., was built in 1955. It was designed by Samuel DeRemer.