You’re standing where it stood · Southwest corner of Walnut and Main Streets

Waconia Public School, 1918

The 1918 public school, built partly from the 1895 school it replaced, and the home of Waconia High School.

TodayBayview Elementary School24 South Walnut Street

Drag across the photograph to compare 1918 and 2022.

Through the years

1918The new public school opens, built partly from materials salvaged from the 1895 school
1930The high school band poses with director Theodore Grivelli and Superintendent Laumann
1937An addition on the south side brings a gymnasium and auditorium in one, and more classrooms
TodayBayview Elementary School

The story

The new Waconia Public School opened on the southwest corner of Walnut and Main in 1918, built partly from materials salvaged from the 1895 school on 1st Street.

In 1930 the Waconia High School Band posed here with its director, Theodore Grivelli, and Superintendent Laumann. Behind them, north of the school, stood the buildings of the Carver County Fair Grounds, which soon moved two blocks south to where the fair is held today.

In 1937 the school grew along its south side, adding a combined gymnasium and auditorium and more classrooms. Bayview Elementary School has since replaced the original building.

**1930.** The Waconia High School Band with director Theodore Grivelli, far left, and Superintendent Laumann on the right.

Do you remember this place?

Did you go to school here? Do you have class photographs, yearbooks or photographs of the band?

Memories, names and family photographs go into the association’s archive, kept with your name and in your own words.

Share what you know

In the archive preview

Sources

WHA website, “Then and Now 2”

Photographs from the Waconia Heritage Association collection.

Waconia Public School, 1918

Through the years

The story

Do you remember this place?

More building stories downtown