Hoggatt School, Ames, IA

Used as a school from 1862 to 1867.  The school was originally in Washington Township near the intersection of the Lincoln Highway and Maple (St? Ave?).  Used many times also as a church, and moved several times after 1893 until it ended up at 1008 3rd St in Ames, IA, where it was used as a house.

In 1980 the school was donated to the Ames Historical Society, and the following year it was moved to the playground of Meeker Elementary School.  Restoration was completed in 1983. 

Due to construction of new buildings beginning in 2014, the school was moved to its current location on the west side of Meeker Elementary School, just north of 18th St on Burnett Ave.

Full information about the school can be found here.  (Thanks to Casie Vance of the Ames Historical Society for the information about the school.)

Photographed 6/29/15

Grant Township #?, Unknown School

About 1.5 miles east of I35 on Old Lincoln Highway/old US 30/E41.  Exactly .3 miles east of 580th St, on the north side of E41, facing west.  Now a house, address 58327.

Photographed on 6/29/15

Unknown School, North of Colo

This school, which is being used as a garage, is about 3 miles north of Colo on US65, on the east side of the road.  You really don’t notice it when approaching from the north due to trees, but there are three windows on the north side also.  Address is 19820.  Of course there is no telling when or where the school came from.

Photographed on 6/29/15

Sherman #5, Center School

To find this school, proceed 3.5 miles north of Colo on US65 to county road E29/190th St and turn east.  Proceed one mile to 710th Ave, and the school is on the NE corner.  It has been preserved but not restored.  Built 1890.

Photographed on 6/29/15

Washington #6, Center School

This school was originally in Washington Township.  It was moved to the center of the town of State Center, on the south side of Main Street, in 2002, and restored in 2003.  East of county S52, on the old Lincoln Highway (marker in front of the school in first photo.)

Photographed on 6/29/15

Washington #2, Bloody Run or Hardscrabble School

 Built prior to 1893.  From Belleview, proceed south on US52 to County Highway Z15 and turn west .4 mile to 407th Ave. and then turn south.  Proceed 3.1 miles to 18609 407th Ave, Tom Becker’s house.  This is the original location, and the school building has been modified, including adding an upper section.   Sets back from the street up the hill, which makes this the best photo we could get without going on their property.  Restoration and modification began in 1993.

Photographed 6/4/15

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.

In School-Days

Still sits the school-house by the road,
A ragged beggar sunning;
Around it still the sumachs grow,
And blackberry-vines are running.

Within, the master’s desk is seen,
Deep scarred by raps official;
The warping floor, the battered seats, 
The jack-initial;

The charcoal frescoes on its wall;
Its door’s worn sill, betraying
The feet that, creeping slow to school,
Went storming out to playing!

Long years ago a winter sun
Shone over it at setting;
Lit up its western window-panes,
And low eaves’ icy fretting.

It touched the tangled golden curls,
And brown eyes full of grieving,
Of one who still her steps rely
When all the school are leaving.

For near her stood the little boy
Her childish favor singled;
His cap pulled low upon a face
Where pride and shame were mingled.

Pushing with restless feet the snow
To right and left he lingered; —
As restlessly her tiny hands
The blue-checked apron fingered.

He saw her lift her eyes; he felt
The soft hand’s light caressing,
And hear the tremble of her voice,
As if a fault confessing.

“I’m sorry that I spelt the word:
I hat to go above you,
Because,” —the brown eyes lower fell. —
“Because, you see, I love you!”

Still memory to a gray-haired man
That sweet child-face is showing.
Dear girl! the grasses on her grave
Have forty years been growing!

He lives to learn, ini life’s hard school,
How few who pass above him
Lament their triumph and his loss, 
Like here, — because they love him.

John Greenleaf Whitter, from The Best Loved Poems of the American People.

Putnam #?, Roger's Grove School

Proceed east out of Ely on Banner Valley Rd to Roger’s Grove Rd and turn north.  Continue north on Roger’s Grove Rd for about 2 miles to Ivanhoe Road.  At Ivanhoe turn east and proceed about 3/4 mile to Old School Rd, which is only on the north side and is a dead end road.  The school was on the NW corner;  all that is left of the school is the foundation, and the rubble which has collapsed into it.

(This link has a photo of this school in 1981)

This first photo was taken from the road intersection.

After climbing up the hill, we were able to photograph the foundation from looking over the fence.

Walking along the roadside a bit further north, this shot abeam the north end of the foundation is looking WSW.

Climbing up to the fence gives a closer view, looking SSW.

Walking a bit further north, we can see the north end of the foundation.

Here is the north side of the foundation.

One last shot from farther north on Old School road, looking south.

Photographed on 4/5/15

The following photo, taken in 1981, was provided by Barb Horak:

Putnam #1, Union School

Located at 203 Hardshell Rd, now a home with a large addition added onto the NE corner.  From Ely, proceed east on Banner Valley Rd to its end at Palisades Access Rd, then turn north.  Proceed a very short distance to Dolezal Rd and then turn east to Hardshell.  The school is on the NE corner.  One may also arrive via State Highway 1 north of Solon to 7 Sisters Rd.  Proceed west on 7 Sisters and it will intersect Hardshell when 7 Sisters becomes low maintenance dirt.  Just follow Hardshell to the next intersection, which is Dolezal.  The front of the building is obstructed by trees.

Photographed on 11/2/14

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