The first school in Gazelle, called the Shasta Valley School, was established in 1865. It was located at the union of Callahan Road and the California - Oregon Stage Road. In 1891, the Shasta Valley School changed its name to Gazelle Union School District.
In 1891, another school in the Gazelle area was established. This school was 4 miles north of Gazelle on Westside Road at the junction of Timmons Lane. It was called the Wheatfield School. In 1920, the school was abandoned and those students then attended Gazelle Elementary School.
In 1896, the Independence School was established. It was located on the ranch at the big turn on Callahan Road known as the Robinson Ranch. The school remained open until 1918.
In 1904, a school was established 4 miles up Scarface Road. This school was called Columbus School. The first Columbus School was located about one half mile into Winter's Gulch on the right side below what is called "School Rock." After the school burned down it was rebuilt at the mouth of the gulch. The Columbus School operated until 1922.
In 1912, the first Gazelle School District building was replaced by a cement block school building located at the corner of Callahan Road and US Highway 99. This school had two classrooms and was used until 1958, when the current school was built. The current school was remodeled in 1994, and still serves the district with a yearly average of 51 students. Gazelle Elementary School has three Classrooms, three teachers, a principal, an administrative assistant, a part-time janitor, one bus driver-aide, one part time and one full time aide, and a cafeteria cook.
More information on Siskiyou County Schools early history can be found in the 1989 issue of The Siskiyou Pioneer (One room Schools Issue) with articles by Abner Weed and others.
Published by The Siskiyou County Historical Society.
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February 19, 2010 Download Old_Gazelle_Photo_1.jpg ( 91.7 KB )
