Following the shuttering of Basin’s 130-year-old elementary school last month, residents have begun grappling with the expected impact, fearing fewer local activities, decreased property values, a loss of civic identity, and even economic decline.
“The school has been a fixture for over a century [and] has a legacy I’m upset about going away,” said contractor Jack Lundberg, who’s building a home overlooking the town.
Many Basin folk view the school – which has not permanently closed but entered non-operational status, which can last up to three years – as intertwined with Basin’s identity.
