Butte des Morts Elementary
This elementary school’s curious name shared with the nearby lake, Butte des Morts, translates to “hill of the dead” in French. Although the name seems strangely morbid, it is actually a testament to the original inhabitants of the area. Butte des Morts refers to the use of the land as burial grounds by the Menominee, Sauk, and Fox Indigenous tribes in the 1700s. 

The original construction of Butte des Morts elementary school was completed in 1928 in the beaux-arts style – an acknowledgement of its French heritage. As the first formal elementary school in the area, Butte des Morts contained only nine classrooms, a principal’s office, activity room, and nurse’s room. In 1961, however, additions were made to the building that practically multiplied its size by ten – from 3,780 square feet to 36,403 square feet – at which point it was converted to a middle school. After the expansion, the school had thirteen classrooms, two science labs, a library, art room, home economics room, and instrumental rooms. Presently, the school is used as an elementary school. Prior to its reconstruction, children received education in the high school building and in two small buildings nearby.