Central School was designed by F.W. Hollister and built in 1895. Central School is designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque which was a very popular style for public buildings in the late 19th century, although quite rare in this particular area at the time it was built. Central School was the first school in the northern part of the state outside of Duluth to offer high school. It also housed the first library in Grand Rapids, and the school District One offices. Central School became a grade school (K-8) in 1903 when a new high school was built a few blocks away. Central School became an elementary school (K-6) in 1922, and later it housed grades K-5 until 1972. Central School was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

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