Reese Creek Community Center (RCCC) is a 501.3C non-profit originally established by the Reese Creek community. This non-profit was created to preserve and maintain the original Reese Creek Schoolhouse, one of the original 77 one-room Schoolhouses in the Gallatin Valley. The goal is to restore and preserve the building for the purpose of making it available once again for the Reese Creek community as a gathering place.
Officers
President - Dana Doney
Vice President - Merrilyn Mattson
Treasurer - Ross Norman
Secretary - Gary Mattson
Board of Directors
David Engel
Janie Strasser
Molly Baxter
Kalen Higton
Steve Saunders
Mission Statement
Our mission is to restore the Reese Creek Community Center building, a historic school listed on the National Historic Register, to a usable community space that will last for future generations; and in doing so, provide Reese Creek neighbors a place to embrace the family-centric values that guided pioneering families of the area who relied on each other for commerce, friendship, faith, and safety, and thereby recreating a strong community in northern Gallatin County.
Historical Importance
The Reese Creek Community is one of the oldest homesteads in Montana and was founded in 1864. The Reese Creek School was originally a log cabin that burned down and was replaced in 1904 by the same building that exists today. Classes were held in this structure until it closed in the Spring of 1963. There were originally 77 one-room schoolhouses in Gallatin County, but currently only a few remain, four of which are still active. Since the Spring of 1963, the Reese Creek Schoolhouse has been used for community events under the supervision of the RCCC Board of Directors. On the property also resides the Volunteer Fire Station, under the supervision of Central Valley Fire. By maintaining the schoolhouse, it has become a central gathering place for the residents of Reese Creek, some of which are descendants of the original families from this area. The schoolhouse is also one of the last structures of the original Reese Creek townsite. The original townsite was comprised of a main street, which supported a general store, a black smithy, a church, the school, a post office, and a cheese factory.
Community Impact
The Reese Creek Community and the Reese Creek Community Center Board of Directors would like to start the recovery of this historic gem in Gallatin County and believe that saving this structure will have an impact in many ways. The original incorporation documents state the purpose of the Community: “For the purpose of stimulating moral and intellectual development; to promote culture and cordial relations among its members, and to contribute to the welfare of the community.” We believe that restoring the schoolhouse fulfills this mission.
Our estimates show that the immediate Reese Creek Community is comprised of 2000 members. The Reese Creek Community desires to provide a community center for the local residents. Reese Creek is 14 miles outside of Bozeman. For our older residents, and in winter weather, it is challenging for many in the community to get into Bozeman and Belgrade. This structure can provide a central gathering place for events, senior support, and other community purposes. Our hope is to have this host cultural events such as concerts, dances, lectures, and family gatherings.
Ongoing Efforts
RCCC desires to preserve the history of the building, and the history of the community. There are still community residents who once attended school in this location. We want to preserve these stories for residents to enjoy for decades to come. The legacy of one room schoolhouses and their impact on the community continues today. A former Gallatin County Commissioner once said, “everything I know about politics I learned from a one-room schoolhouse.” There is still original equipment, furnishings, light fixtures, and even a 1908 upright piano. The goal of RCCC is to protect the schoolhouse structure from further degradation and begin restoring it and furnishing it with the original artifacts. Upon completion of the restoration of the site, the one- room schoolhouse will transport visitors back 100 years in history. RCCC hopes to one day provide living history tours of this site. Existing pictures and local stories on display will save this piece of Montana history, which includes the agricultural history of Gallatin County. Reese Creek once was a main street with a general store, cheese factory, post office, and other buildings. It is one of the oldest homesteaded communities in Southwest Montana.
Central Valley Fire District
The Central Valley Fire District has a volunteer based station located onsite and have partnered in the past to host fundraisers & offer opportunities to recruit additional volunteers. Successful restoration of the schoolhouse building and activation of this site could bring needed community attention for developing a strong volunteer base, community support of the fire department and provide a central meeting location for general emergency responders.