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History of the Oneida Stake Academy
From pioneer academy to Preston High School to a restored community landmark — a story of faith, education, and remarkable preservation.
Born of Determination
In the late 19th century, the United States Government disenfranchised members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through laws that barred them from holding public office — including teaching in public schools. In response, Church members resolved to preserve their right to educate their own children according to their values and beliefs.
This determination gave birth to a remarkable system of Church-sponsored academies across the Intermountain West. Between Canada and Juarez, Mexico, 35 academies were established in frontier towns. The Oneida Stake Academy was organized in 1888, with its magnificent ochre-hued sandstone edifice constructed between 1890 and 1894 (dedicated in 1895) in Preston, Idaho.
A Center of Learning and Leadership
For over three decades, the Oneida Stake Academy provided secondary education, spiritual instruction, and leadership training to thousands of youth from southeastern Idaho. Its graduates included world, national, and state leaders — most notably Church Presidents Ezra Taft Benson and Harold B. Lee — as well as hundreds of dedicated citizens who strengthened their families and communities.
In 1922, following the repeal of the Edmunds-Tucker Act, the building was purchased by the State of Idaho and became Preston High School. Generations of students continued to be educated in those stone walls for more than 112 years.
Built to Endure
Constructed of locally quarried sandstone by German immigrant, architect and stonemason John Nuffer,, the Academy is a striking example of Romanesque Revival architecture. Its thick walls, arched windows, and solid craftsmanship helped it withstand more than a century of use and one extraordinary relocation.
Community Asset
In the 1970s, restoration efforts made the building available not only to the school but also to the public. It became a magnificent home for the arts, hosting concerts, art shows, wedding receptions, and other community events. The basement rooms even served for a time as a community cannery and, until the late 1990s, as a weight room for Preston High School.
Saved from the Wrecking Ball
By the early 2000s, the aging building was largely unused. The school district viewed the site as prime real estate for a much-needed new high school cafeteria and library. In 2002, the school board set a firm deadline of March 2003 for any effort to save the Academy — after which it would be demolished.
A dedicated group of local residents, working with the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation (now Ensign Peak Foundation), launched an urgent fundraising campaign. Against significant odds, they raised approximately $1.3 million. In a remarkable feat of engineering, the 1,650-ton stone building was carefully moved two blocks to its current location at Benson Park in December 2003.
A New Chapter Begins
Now situated in the beautiful setting of Benson Park and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Oneida Stake Academy is under active restoration.
Once complete, the public will once again enjoy this historic landmark for concerts, art shows, wedding receptions, conventions, and other community events. Inside its restored walls, visitors will also find the rich history of the Academy and the pioneers of Franklin County brought vividly to life.