Little Bear School House was built in 1912 and used as a one room school until 1950. The school house re-opened to the public as a museum in 1998.
Little Bear School House Museum, located near Little Bear Creek south of Bozeman, was built in 1912 and used as a one room school until 1950. The log building was used as a private residence for a few years and then abandoned to become a cow shelter. The Little Bear Community decided to restore this little building from its sad state. The building was cleaned and moved to its present site on Highway 191 near Gallatin Gateway.
Eight years later after many fundraisers, donations, a small grant and membership dues, the school was opened to the public in 1998. The school house takes you back in time to 1912, the era of your parents and grandparents.
The displays contain memorabilia about the family histories of the settlers, the local baseball team, the Gallatin Gateway Inn, a lunchbox collection, desks with writing slates and ink wells and authentic chalk boards (donated by Central Park School near Manhattan, MT). Also shown are school books of that time and a small wash stand where students would drink from tin cups or wash up. In the school yard stands an antique merry-go-round (donated by the former Rae School).
