The streets of Fort Dodge were not always named as they now are. In the earlier days of Fort Dodge, Arey School would have been located between Walnut and Locust, Morrison and Main streets. Today these streets have become First and Second avenues, & Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets south. The school was located at intersection of 1st Avenue South and South 17th Street.

The first Arey School was built between 1889 and 1890. It was named for Melvin F. Arey who was superintendent of schools at the time. This first building had only four rooms. These four rooms were torn down in 1900 so that a larger building (shown here) could be built that was finished in 1901.

The large lot which had been purchased for a playground was often flooded and made into an ice skating rink in winter. During the summer the playground was used for recreation purposes.

When the preliminary group became kindergarten “A” and was taught by the regular kindergarten teacher, the basement room became an assembly and music room. An upstairs room, not needed as a classroom, was converted into an attractive all school library in 1943.

With the growth of population and an outdated building, a new Arey Elementary School was built in the same location at the intersection of 1st Avenue South and South 17th Street. The new Arey School (pictured below) was built in 1965.

The Arey Elementary School was closed in the 1980’s and was converted into the public school administration office building.

The public school administration moved their offices to a vacant building at the corner of 2nd Ave N and 25th Street in 2020. After the move, remodeling the Central Administration Building, formerly Arey Elementary School, into an early childhood center for grades pre-K, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten began. Construction is anticipated to be completed in June 2021 for the 2021-22 school year.

Information from: fortdodgehistory.com and The Messenger