ORIGINS

I grew up in a small Ohio town and I rode the school bus from 1st through 12th grades. My bus ride always included a country road on which every school day we saw a one-room brick school house. (SW corner of Stine Rd and Enon-Xenia Pike). As the years went by I watched this wonderful, familiar friend fall apart. After I married the school really began to deteriorate. Every time we visited the area I would want to take a photo of the school but never did. Finally, when we went specifically for the task, the school was gone. It was a huge loss for me and, since that time, whenever we pass a one-room school it is a joy to stop to take a picture or two. Thus, our collection here and the blog with schools in other states. Jill :oD

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Rose Hill School, College Township

The Genealogical Society of Linn County discovered our blog and asked us to be guest speakers at the meeting on May 28th in Cedar Rapids.  We were given tips about a few standing country schools in the region, but this one was ironic.  

Located in the SW portion of Cedar Rapids, this school is on the west side of 21st St SW, just 3/10 mile south of 33rd Ave SW at the SW corner of 37th Ave SW.  Now, when we first moved to the Cedar Rapids area back in December 1995, 33rd Ave SW stopped just east of 21st St, and then didn't begin again until about 10th St.  We had actually driven down 21st St past this school about 1996 or 1997 while just poking around, but we weren't taking school photos until 2003, and probably didn't even notice this was a school back then.

About 3 years ago 33rd Ave was connected by a bridge over the railroad yards, and since then we have frequently driven on this road, never knowing that less than 1/2 mile south was this building!

The school was built ca. 1920, and used until possibly the mid-1950s.

Photographed 5/31/15

UPDATE: The following photos were taken on 1/6/23 and show what a wonderful restoration has taken place.