Gritter Creek School - English Township #8
North English, Gritter Creek School was used from 1874 until 1956 and is now used as a museum. Getting to it was odd, since the road on the map and in the directions from the web is now closed. However, there was a sign pointing the way on the west side of North English, on county highway F67. To find the school you must drive down gravel roads. Turn west on 336th Street at the west edge of town, and then go 2.1 miles to the intersection of J Avenue. Turn north on J Ave and follow it as it bends east for a total of .9 mile and there is the school on the south side of the road. J Ave used to continue another half-mile to join F67, but it is closed off now and dead-ends in a farm.
The front porch has been added since the original construction. This is one of few brick one-room schools in Iowa.
I'd like to take my 4-H group to see this Gritter Creek School in North English, IA. Do you know who to contact - can we go inside or is it locked? Thanks for any info!
ReplyDeleteGloria Yoder, Greene-Go-Getters 4-H club
Hi Gloria,
ReplyDeleteI just found this page for you on the net:
http://www.preservationiowa.org/initiatives/schoolItem.php?id_num=116®ion=3
This page has contact information for the school.
Jill and I were there on a Saturday; no one was around but the door was unlocked so we walked in and looked around.
Thanks! Ten years ago our 4-H group toured historical sites in Iowa County, IA and we have a photo of our group sitting in the Gritter School desks - so the school must have been unlocked. We are retracing our steps now with this new group of 4-Her's. I thought I should check, tho.
ReplyDeleteGloria
I went to this school, untill I started 4th grade, then I was sent to North English Elementary. Wow, the memories!
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma spent many years preserving Gritter School. She attended there as a little girl. Great to see the pictures!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe are happy to provide the memories. It's a shame that there aren't more schools kept in this shape. So much of our heritage is disappearing.
ReplyDeleteI am a member of the Iowa County Historical Society. To arrange a tour contact the Pioneer Museum in Marengo, Iowa. 319-642-7018.
ReplyDeleteWe would love to have you visit.
I believe my mom taught at this school for 2 to 3 years around 1937. Her name was Elinore (Scottie) O'brien. Would be interested to get confirmation from any of her students who attended. She had very fond memories of her time there. She passed in 2013 after a very wonderful life.
ReplyDelete