The cutoff date of 1960 is used to identify those buildings that may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in the next 2 years. Thus far 206 schools constructed prior to 1960 have been identified in the state. Of these approximately 130 are still owned by the one of Wyoming’s 48 school districts representing 36% of the main school buildings. It is likely that less than 50% of the district owned pre-1960 schools retain enough integrity to be considered historic.  Many of these buildings are threatened with closure or demolition, while others will be renovated for continued use as schools or converted to new uses after their closure. There are also an unknown number of historic school buildings across the state that have been closed in years past, which either remain empty or have been adapted to new uses.

• At least 29 school buildings built before 1960 have been closed since 2002.
• In 2005, 80 school buildings built before 1960 were threatened. The most common threats to schools are closure, demolition or renovation (this usually means a new addition that is not sensitive to the original building) by the school board.
• Between spring 2006 and fall of 2007, 8 threatened buildings have been demolished and another 3 have likely been demolished (based off the School Facility Commission Reports). Bringing the total number of demolished buildings (from when the database was created 2005) to at least 27.
• The 2007 list of threatened buildings now has 71 buildings. Between 2005 and 2007 there were only 2 buildings removed from the threatened list because they found adaptive reuse (Roosevelt ES in Green River and Yellowstone ES in Rock Springs).
• Approximately 62 school buildings built before 1960, most dating from the 1950s, are now used as schools and will continue to serve as such for at least the next five years.
• At least 35 former school buildings have been adapted to new uses over the years, as community centers, apartments, single-family residences, school district administration buildings, alternative schools, churches, businesses, medical clinics, community colleges, museums, and senior housing.

National Register of Historic Places

There are 24 current and former school buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s list of buildings, sites and objects significant in American history and culture. At least 150 additional school buildings may be eligible for the Register, based on their age. Because no statewide inventory of historic school buildings has been conducted, communities, school boards and the School Facilities Commission have no easy way of determining if a building is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. A statewide inventory and evaluation would give all parties clarity about the historic significance of individual school buildings, and would help communities make decisions about the ultimate fate of these buildings.