Three Old Schools in Christian County, KY

Life in Christian County, Kentucky... History and Old Stuff...

At one time, small rural schools were common in Christian County, KY. Nowadays, the children are bused to large central schools, but some of the old buildings are still standing.

The St. Elmo School (above) was closed in 1949. The children of the St. Elmo community now attend the Pembroke Elementary School. My Christian Co. history book says that the school was founded in the 1860's. Probably the school was started after the Civil War.

I doubt if this is the original school building, but I suppose it could be. The building has been used for years by the St. Elmo Homemaker's Club. It is located just west of St. Elmo on the road that local folks call the "Bradshaw Pike."

The Ralston School (left) is located near the junction of Highways 507 and 508 (Butler Road and Pilot Rock Road), across from the former Shaw Grocery.

I don't have any information about when Ralston School was founded. It was closed in the 1950's, and students in the area have been bused to Highland Elementary School in Hopkinsville since then.

A family lived in the Ralston School building until fairly recently, but the building now appears to be standing empty.

The Fairview School (below) was built early in the 1900's. Grades K-12 attended school in the building at that time. Before 1930, it was consolidated with the Pembroke School District and local high school students had to go to Pembroke, a little town about 5 miles south of Fairview. I can't find any information about when the Fairview School was completely closed.

The building is located just west of the Jefferson Davis Monument State Historic Site in Fairview, KY, and it's still one of the largest structures in the village (besides the monument.) The stone wall in the photograph is actually part of the Jeff Davis park. The building is now used by the Arm of the Lord Trinity Pentecostal Church.


Gasoline prices are high and it costs more and more to run the school buses all over the county twice a day. America may eventually revert to community schools to save on transportation costs. But right now in Christian County, KY, the only small country schools are the ones that the Amish and Mennonite children attend.

Related post: St. Elmo School Revisited

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