Iowa City, Oxford Township District #11

This school is at 405 N. Reno St, at the NW corner of E. Davenport St.  There is a discrepancy with information about when this school was built.  The Des Moines Register shows 1867.  Information from Joan Dinnel to me cites Marybeth Slonneger’s book, “Small But Ours,” about this area, with a large Czech population, known as “Goosetown.”  Marybeth’s book says, “The earliest school building remaining in Iowa City a one room district school house dating from before 1858 that stands on the corner of Davenport and Reno streets, adjacent to what was then the Irish property. This location suggests that the school may have served the educational needs of the Irish children as generations of this family taught in the community. By 1858 the district schoolhouse was considered inadequate and was replaced by the Third Ward School further west on Davenport Street. For a time, the little frame schoolhouse became a protestant Sunday school. Then it was purchased by the Prybil family and became a private home, which it remains today."

There is an obvious addition on the north side of the home.

The first photo is looking at the SW corner of the house, and then photographing moving east to the corner and then north to shoot the east side.

Photographed on 10/31/14

Prairie Ridge School

Closed circa 1950. Located at 8100 Spanish Rd. The original location was 1/4 mile south, and it was moved to the Edwin and Martha Buresh farm for use as a garage and shop.   From Ely or Cedar Rapids one can find this school by using Wright Brothers Blvd, and about 1 mile west of Ely Rd turn north on Spanish Rd for about 1/2 mile.  The school is on the west side of the road behind a house.

Photographed on 10/26/14

Update 8/8/16:  Dave Chase was able to get some excellent photographs after getting permission from the owners.

Update 2/3/18: This link has photos of this school in operation as well as more information:

Putnam #2, Center School

Brick school, now a home at 721 Jappa Rd.  The school is at the SE corner of Jappa Rd and Ivanhoe Rd.  From Ely proceed north on Jappa.  From U.S.30, turn south  on W8E/Jappa Rd and proceed about 1 mile.

This next photo is of the east side, taken from Ivanhoe Rd.

Photographed on 10/26/14

Linn Township, Beach School

Built 1890, now a home at 1145 Linn Ridge Rd.  From Mt. Vernon or Cedar Rapids, the easiest way it to arrive from Mt. Vernon Rd (Lincoln Highway).  About 2.5 miles west of Mt. Vernon is Ballard Rd, and about 1/2 mile west of that is Horn Road.  From C.R go north on Horn while from Mt Vernon go north on Ballard.  Beach School is on Linn Ridge Rd between these two roads, and on the north side of Linn Ridge.

Photographed on 10/26/14

Monmouth #9, Watson School

On State Route 64 about 2 miles east of Baldwin, at address 8484, NW corner of 84th Ave. Residence.   It was exactly 2 miles west of South Fork #?  Built in 1930; see comment below for more information.

Photographed on 10/8/14

South Fork #?

On State Route 64, about 1.5 miles west of the Maquoketa Airport, on the north side of the highway.  Address is 11804, on NW corner of 34th St.  Residence.

Photographed on 10/8/14

UPDATE 10/9/20: These photos show some differences over the past 6 years.

Flannery School

Flannery School.  Used from 1935 to 1969, moved to present location in 1975. The following is from the Des Moines Register’s “Lost Schools” archives: “This one-room schoolhouse, the last known remaining in Clinton County, was moved to its current location on SENC land to save it from demolition the fall of 1975. …This school was built in the summer of 1935, making it the last one-room school built in Clinton County. … It opened for classes the fall of 1935 and was located on Humestown Road on Mr. Herb Peters property North of Dewitt, IA. The original name was “Flannery”, later changed to North DeWitt No. 2. The original school which it replaced was built before 1900. … Following the construction of the new school, the original school was purchased and used by a local farmer as a hog shed.
- submitted by Soaring Eagle Nature Center/Clinton County.
Depart Clinton northbound on US67/3rd St.  At Cragmor US67 breaks left off of 3rd St; turn east on Cragmor followed by an immediate turn north onto 3rd St. and proceed about 500 ft.  The school is on the right an sits well back from the road and faces west.  A sign is right next to the road.

The shots of the interior were made by holding the camera against the window and attempting to focus through the glass.  The first shot is a zoom of the blackboard information about the school.

Photographed on 10/8/14

Princeton School

In Princeton, at the SW corner of Clay St. and Third St.  This is supposedly a 4-room city school.  It looks to be much larger, with the second story, but often the upper story was used as an open area for events, etc.  It is now a home.

This is the front of the school, facing east:

North Side

West side/back

Photographed on 10/8/14