Brandon School District # 31 History

The first school in Brandon was located on Hwy # 7 between Hwy #82 and Chippewa Church,  209 Central Avenue South. The deed for 120 acres to the school was signed by President Buchanan before the time of Lincolin.  At the turn of the century it was sold to the Norwegian Evangelical Church of Moe. Rev. R.O. Juul was the pastor.  O.F. Olson was the next brief owner of the property.

At this time a new school was built in Brandon at 206 3rd Street West.  This is the same location of our present Brandon/Evansville school.  O.F. Olson donated the land to build this school. 

The old school was sold to L.H. Swingen who used it as a home and a blacksmith shop.  He remodeled it and lowered the roof by building the new square roof inside the original roof.

Jacob and Hortulana Goering purchased the property in about 1930.  They did more remodeling by adding the front porch and taking out some of the school windows. 

In the years ahead Jacob and Hortulana raised eleven children in this home.  I was the second to the youngest.  I lived  there for over twenty years.

In 1984 the home was sold to Mark and Anita Roers.  In 1996 the home was destroyed by fire.