Genoa Indian Industrial School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Indian Industrial School
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Shop building, now operated as a museum
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Genoa, Nebraska |
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| Area | 470 acres (190 ha) |
| Built | 1884 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001706 |
| Added to NRHP | May 22, 1978 |
The Genoa Indian Industrial School in Genoa, Nebraska, was a special boarding school for Native American children. It was one of the first schools of its kind, built far from reservations. The school opened in 1884 and closed in 1934. Today, one of its buildings has been restored and is now the Genoa U.S. Indian School Museum. This important historical site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
About the Genoa Indian School
The Genoa Indian Industrial School first opened its doors on February 20, 1884. Its main goal was to teach Native American children about European-American culture and the Christian faith. This was part of a larger effort to help them fit into the wider American society.
The town of Genoa, Nebraska was chosen for the school because the government already owned land there. This land used to be part of the Pawnee Reservation. However, the old buildings were not in good shape. The Pawnee people had moved to Indian Territory a few years earlier in 1879.
The main school building was a simple three-story structure. It had a sloped roof and a small triangle shape above the front door. Tall windows and straight lines made the building look balanced. This style was very popular for schools like this in the late 1880s.
Growth and Closure of the School
Over time, the school grew much larger. It welcomed Native American children from many different tribes and ten states. At first, there were only 74 students. But eventually, the school had as many as 599 students. The campus grew to include more than 30 buildings across 640 acres of land.
The U.S. government decided to close the school in 1934. This happened during the Great Depression, a time when many schools and businesses faced financial difficulties.
Challenges and Health at the School
Life at the school was not always easy for the students. Sadly, some children became sick and passed away while at the school. Records show at least 86 deaths, mainly from illnesses like measles, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. For example, in 1892, a serious measles outbreak caused 10 deaths and made 105 children ill. There were also a few accidents, including a shooting, a drowning, and a freight car accident.
Genoa U.S. Indian School Museum
Today, you can visit the Genoa U.S. Indian School Museum. The Genoa US Indian School Foundation bought one of the original school buildings, called the Manual Training building. They carefully restored it. Now, the foundation runs it as a museum. It helps people learn about the school's history and the lives of the children who attended.
Gallery
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Students at the Genoa Indian School in 1910. Children were sent to the school, often far from their families and tribes, to receive an education.
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The Genoa School Museum has two floors of exhibits. One room is set up like a classroom from when students studied there.
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The museum displays awards won by students from 1914 to 1924. Students were very good at raising farm animals and won many prizes.
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Student artists at the school painted signs. These signs showed different types of horse equipment that other students made to sell.
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Many tribes whose children attended the school sent banners to the museum. Over 30 banners are now displayed to remember the children.
See also
