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A piece of Niles history was destroyed Friday morning when the Ferry Street Resource Center, 620 Ferry St., caught fire and collapsed. (Maxwell Harden | Leader Publications)

NILES — The historic Ferry Street School building, currently home to Ferry Street Resource Center, caught fire and collapsed Friday morning.

The building was originally opened in 1868 as Niles’ school for “colored children” and then closed in 1870 when the school system became integrated. It reopened a few years later as an integrated school. From 1956 to 1975, the facility served as the district’s School for Exceptional Children. The building was then restored as a nineteenth century classroom and it was most recently used by FSRC since 2005.

City of Niles Fire Marshal Rory Iwaniuk said the investigation is still ongoing. 

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