News Photos by Diane Speer This fieldstone home in Ossineke was originally built in 1929 as the Pine Grove School. An old-fashioned school bell, long since removed by previous owners, once hung over the entryway.

As a teacher for Alpena Public Schools, Nancy Everett couldn’t live in a more fitting place.

The fieldstone structure at 2518 E. Scott Road, Ossineke, that she and her husband have called home since 1991, originally began life as a two-room schoolhouse. Constructed in 1928, it served as Pine Grove School until a consolidation of rural schools prompted its closure in 1959.

Over the years, the building changed hands numerous times, serving not only as a private residence but also for a time as a care home for mentally challenged men. Since purchasing the former school and surrounding five-acre property, the Everetts have tackled countless renovation projects.

“Two days after moving in, all the carpet in the upstairs was replaced and lots of painting done,” said Nancy Everett. “Two weeks later, the well died and had to be replaced. There were holes in the walls that my kittens could walk in and out of the house through.