St. Stephens Indian School (Wyoming)

Location: 128 Mission Road, St. Stephens, WY

Years of Operation: 1884 - Present

Brief History:

St. Stephens Indian School was started by a Jesuit priest from Buffalo, NY, for Arapaho (Arapahoe) children on the Wind River Reservation. By 1888, 90 children were enrolled at the boarding school.

In 1928, a fire in the dead of winter destroyed the church, the boy's dorm and the gym. The buildings were later replaced.

St. Stephens was one of four boarding schools operating at Wind River at one time. Others were the Fort Washakie Boarding School, Robert's Mission School for girls and the St. Michael's Mission School for Arapaho children.

Boarding of children at the St. Stephens School ended in 1939 and it continued operating as a day school. In 1957, St. Stephens became a high school and in 1975 efforts began to make St. Stephens an Indian controlled school.Today, St. Stephens is a K-12 school.