One of six Oregon sites listed on the Register, the school is an oddly shaped, two-room schoolhouse which has been moved from its original location.

[5] The village of Chana was founded in 1871, half a mile northwest of White Oak School,[6] which was built in 1869.

[6] The late 19th century saw at least ten individuals teach at Chana School at different times.

The question was brought to a vote but failed and Chana students continued to go to Oregon schools after eighth grade.

It was relocated to City Park East in Oregon, Illinois and volunteers began the process of refurbishing the building in August 1998.

[4] The moving and restoration of the Chana School was facilitated, in part, by a US$15,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The grant was intended to help restore the building to its original state, restore a sand hill prairie on the site, develop museum exhibit space, and establish learning links to other museums in support of "the rural education focus" as part of the curriculum.

[7] Chana School is, on one hand, typical of rural schoolhouses, with a gabled roof and trademark bell tower.

Examples include pedimented window crows and pronounced hoods over the belfry openings.

The bell tower rises 43 feet (13 m), and halfway up its length is a large round sign.

[6] Wooden construction is found throughout the tower, its arches, and the rest of the schoolhouse, save the limestone and cement foundation.

The roof of the overall schoolhouse is covered with cedar shingles and features chimneys rising from each of the classrooms.

The red oak floor is trimmed by nine inches of mop board and quarter-round, decoratively accented.

The two curved and semi-circular front walls mark the two coat rooms in the original, one-room building.

Ten years later, however, an addition to the building attached a second, smaller classroom, perpendicular to the original.

On its original nomination form to the National Register, Chana School was cited as being significant for inclusion in the Register under criteria C, which states a property: "embod(ies) the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction.

"[6] In addition, the school was subject to considerations by the Register which allowed its inclusion despite the general policy which does not encourage the nomination of properties that have been moved from their original location.