St Margert Mary Parochial School
5095 Lemay St, Detroit, MI 48213
-Abandoned 1970
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History of St Margert Mary Parochial school
St. Margaret Mary is a church viewable here located on the East Side of Detroit , near the City Airport . It was built in 1920, and the school addition we will be exploring was built in 1923. It operated as a parochial school, which is a school that teaches religious agendas; in the case of St. Margaret, it was Catholic teaching. As the East Side of Detroit grew, so did the church and school . For many decades, the school thrived . However, during the 1960s, the East Side of Detroit began to decline, and so did the school, which closed in 1970, making it one of the few remaining schools abandoned before 2000, as most Detroit schools closed between 2007 and 2012. St. Cyril 's, another church and school on the East Side of Detroit, closed its school portion in 1971 and was demolished in May 2003. In 2025, St. Margaret Mary still stands, showcasing a testament to the robust buildings of the 20th century . Although the structure is still standing, debris lines the floors from the 55 years of abandonment. The school was likely maintained until 1982 , when the church it was connected to was abandoned, like St. Margaret Mary.
Recollection from the author
The School of St Margert Mary was my first school and it was crazy to think how well in shape the building was in considering it had sat abandoned for 55 years. It was interesting to see a pre 2000 abandoned school in Detroit of which I didn’t think really existed and though all had been demolished. From the Chalkboards to the windows this is a example of a place frozen in time which is always amazing to see and experience.
One of the Dark Hallways on the First Floor
Many Classrooms just like this one were around the School with a Chalkboard to the front of the classroom
Down the Main Hallway a staircase to the 2nd floor can be seen
Most Classrooms are empty of all character
Amazingly though many classrooms Chalkboards remain intact through 55 years of abandonment
Other rooms have been tagged
The 2nd Floor Hallway
Much of the wall has been destroyed
Some taggers have taken their tags to the Chalkboards
I Love Detroit
Bookshelves in a room on the second floor
Some rooms have no boards remaining
Other rooms have been trashed beyond repair
Looking down the staircase to the 2nd Floor
1st Floor Overview
Another Destroyed wall this time on the 1st Floor
basement stairs
Storage Room with still intact cabinets
Bathroom or Locker Room of some sort
Auditorium Room
The Stage
Though the curtain is intact not much else is
Hangers in a room next to the auditorium
The Stage has collapsed in on itself
A projector screen has been tagged over
A weird celling in one of the basement rooms
Throughout 55 years of abandonment holes are bound to be broken in like this example
Cabinet with things still in it
Fireplace in the Basement
Book nearby to the staircase
Various Learning Material remains intact on the pages
Main Entrance staircase
the roof of St Margert Mary
Some classrooms have had their walls stolen or destroyed
a broken chair remains in a decayed classroom
likely a pa or ventilation system
schools remaining inside the building
stairs to basement
likely a payphone
the light shines into a decayed staircase
it is one of the only places inside the school with light