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Beaverton Schools

History

Who is Jacob Wismer?
With an eye on history, the Beaverton School Board unanimously decided in April 2001 to name the newest elementary school in honor of an early Washington County settler. Jacob Wismer was born in Switzerland in 1836. He emigrated to the United States in 1855 and settled in Iowa where he married Frederika Hickethier (shown in photo at right with Jacob Wismer). He and his family moved to the Bethany area in Oregon in 1874 where they farmed 240 acres of land close to where the school is located. Jacob Wismer helped found the Bethany Presbyterian Church and served as a board member for Union Elementary, one of the oldest schools in Washington County. He and his wife eventually raised 10 children. The Wismer and Stoller (for whom Stoller Middle School is named) families were neighbors. Descendants of the Wismer family still reside in the area today.

Jacob Wismer School History
Construction on the Beaverton School District’s thirty-first elementary school began in December of 2000, shortly after the passage of a $149.7 million bond issue. The formal ground breaking ceremony took place on March 6, 2001. Jacob Wismer Elementary School opened its doors to students on September 4, 2001. 
Acreage: 8.39 acres
Facilities: media center, 2 technology labs, resource room, music/community room, gym, cafeteria, covered play area, playground, baseball diamond, U10 soccer field, ¼ mile asphalt walking path
Architect: Dull Olson Weekes Architects
Contractor: J.E. Dunn Construction
Landscaping: Greenworks

Wismer Farm Photograph

Wismer Family Farm

Jacob Wismer Photograph

Jacob Wismer

Frederika Wismer Photograph

Frederika Wismer

Wismer Family Photograph

Wismer Family