
Bunche Elementary School
2601 Ellery St, Detroit, MI 48207
-Abandoned 2010
|High Resolution page|
Locate it!
History of Bunche Elementary School
Bunche Elementary School was built in 1953 likely from a 1949 Millage, this millage saw the funding for additions to almost every Detroit Public School up to that point, along with many new schools built along with Bunche some other schools built from this millage would be Weatherby, Healy, and Kosciusko Elementary Schools among others. The Bradford Smith School was built on the same plot of land as Bunche in 1902, originally Bunche was a addition to the Smith school, however when Bunche opened in 1956, the Smith portion of the school was closed and was never reopened or repurposed, it was later demolished between 1978 and 1981. In the years of Bunche, the school never received any additions. It was named after Ralph Bunche which was the first African American to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Into the early 2000s Bunche saw enrollment decline and it was closed in 2010. However it was later repurposed and leased by a church, until about 2018.

Recollection from the author
Bunche was a very unique twist of CMU, while many Detroit schools built in the 1950s or with additions in the 50s have boring painted concrete brick designs. Bunche somehow puts a interesting twist into its architectural style. From the curves to the layout of the school it is very unique, also of note is the inclusion of two separate kindergarten rooms both completed with bay windows. Bunche will also be remembered by me for its abundance of papers and textbooks just laid all over the floor everywhere. Along with this the one school in Detroit I have seen with a library still having books or other media inside, the other thing of note would be the desks still semi lined up in many classrooms.
Entrance #9
Entrance #8
1st floor hallway shot 1
1st floor hallway shot 2
1st floor hallway shot 3
1st floor hallway shot 4
1st floor hallway shot 5 (This unknown section is scrapped very heavily throughout)
1st floor hallway shot 6
1st floor hallway shot 7 (1st floor hallway as seen from a 1st floor staircase
Gymnasium shot 1
Gymnasium shot 2
Gymnasium shot 3
Kitchen serving area
Gymnasium as seen from the kitchen area
Many books and papers remain scattered around the gymnasium and other sections in the school
Auditorium shot 1
Auditorium shot 2
Auditorium shot 3
Auditorium shot 4
Auditorium shot 5
Interestingly Bunche features two kindergarten classrooms both complete with bay windows
Room 106 Kindergarten room
Room 104 Kindergarten room
Room 104 Kindergarten room shot 1
Room 104 Kindergarten room shot 2
Room 104 Kindergarten room shot 3
The library still has many books intact some have been thrown throughout the room
Library shot 2
Library shot 3
Library shot 4
Office section next to Library
Office shot 2
In many of the 1st floor classrooms desks still remain intact
Another 1st floor classroom this one has nothing left in it of note
Another 1st floor classroom follows in the footsteps of the gymnasium floor, books and other media thrown throughout the floor
A chalkboard in the same classroom
In the scrapped section of the 1st floor classrooms take on a different design
A landing on one of the staircases leading to the 2nd floor
2nd floor hallway shot 1
2nd floor hallway shot 2
2nd floor hallway shot 3 (Many lockers have stickers intact)
2nd floor hallway shot 4
2nd floor hallway shot 5
Room 213
A staircase seen from the 2nd floor
A 2nd floor classroom (The floors have began to warp)