The building remained part of the public school district until 1979, when ownership was transferred to Deschutes County for use as a local history museum.

Because of its unique architecture and importance to the history of Bend, the Reid School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Because the Great Northern and Union Pacific railroads had opened routes into Central Oregon in 1911, the community was growing rapidly.

Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh dedicated the Des Chutes Historical Center on July 4, 1980.

[2] In 2002, exterior windows were replaced, an elevator was installed, and the building's heating and cooling systems were upgraded to create a modern museum facility.

Today, the center has exhibits on pioneer life, logging, forestry, transportation, education, and Native American culture.

[5] The Reid School is a classic Richardsonian Romanesque building designed by Sweatt, Levesque and Company, an architecture firm from Spokane, Washington.

There are a number of large Ponderosa pine trees that shade the grounds, giving the area a park-like atmosphere.

The interior of the school is characterized by high ceilings, steep stairways, and large high-bay windows that provide natural light to the classrooms.

[6] In 1910, Miss Reid married Harley J. Overturf, the office manager for the Drake Development Company.

In 1916, the couple built a two-story American Craftsman-style home near the Deschutes River in what is now the Drake Park Neighborhood Historic District.