Pleasant Valley #5, Forest Grove School, Bettendorf

At the junction of Forest Grove Road and Criswell Street, on the north side of the road just east of Criswell.  Built in 1873 and closed in 1957, this school is in very sad shape.  Many cement blocks have been removed from the site, which leaves the sides with no foundation.  The interior has been intentionally destroyed and trashed.  But the architecture is still interesting, especially in the school sign above the door.  Both swing sets are still there, although minus the swings.

Photographs taken on 5/26/11

Update, 8/30/12.  The Cedar Rapids Gazette, 8/26/12, reported that efforts are underway to stabilize the foundation of this school before winter, as the beginning of a restoration project.

Update, 4/1/14.  Photos taken today to show progress being made in restoration.  A new foundation was built after lifting the school, and then the school was set back down on it.  Restoration efforts ceased for the winter.

UPDATE 12/1/15:  Here's an article discussing the restoration, and letting us know that the school is "buttoned up" for the winter.

UPDATE 1/16/16:  The following photographs were taken today.

UPDATE 10/16/16:  The following photos were taken on 10/15/16 during a tour with a 1-room school conference group.  The interior has a long way to go.

UPDATE 10/13/20: Today we took the following photographs. Restoration appears to be complete. We looked in the windows and the inside is completely outfitted with desks, etc. An architect drew the new bell tower using the original bell tower in a 1923 photo. The original bell was donated back to the school by the school’s former owner.

2/14/22. We were in the area so we took some photos. These are winter shots so they show the shutters closed. Also notice replica outhouses (although modernized) have been built and a pump (non-working) has been placed next to the front sidewalk. Both swing sets have been restored. We also photographed the information which is posted at the new parking lot. One photo (reflecting the cameraman) shows the edge of the old outbuilding on the left side of the photo, which has been removed during restoration.

Butler #1? Unidentified School

As we headed east from Walnut Grove, about 2 miles away F33 turned north, and there was an old school now used as a house.  Run-down as it was, we decided to shoot it.  It is on the NE corner of 290th St and County Road Z16.

Photographed 4/12/09

UPDATE 8/2/17:  This school was demolished by early 2017.

Butler #2, Walnut Grove

On 4/12/09 we took a drive over to Davenport and have lunch at Cracker Barrel.  Afterwards we decided to drive around in that area to see what we could see for fun - up a bit north of town, then east to the Mississippi River, and then back down to Cracker Barrel for late dessert before heading home.  Well, we came across this small community which is now a historical center.  The school is on its original location and is now a museum.  It operated from 1870 to 1967.  Walnut Grove is just over two miles east of US61 on Country Road F33.  The photo shown was taken in 1898.

The following photos were taken on 10/14/16, when we had an inside tour.  Notice the new roof, and the school was also repainted.

Davenport, IA

Here is a school we have seen a few times but thought it was a replica.  We found out it wasn't, that it was moved to its present location from the 4900 block in Davenport on the west side of Brady St, and fixed up as a museum.  This school is at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, where we go for the annual Highland Games.  We took this photo in August 2008 at the end of the games when the sun was on it.  The school is from District No. 9 and was built in 1877.

The following photo was posted on "The Forgotten Iowa Historical Society" Facebook page, and was taken in the early 1960s at its original site.

Liberty #6, Round Grove School

One day in July 2004 we were coming home from Davenport and we decided to take a back road scenic tour.  We were on Iowa State Highway 130 when we came across this huge stone school at the NW corner 35th Avenue, east of New Liberty.  It was owned by a farmer, who stored hay and other stuff in it.

The following photos were taken on 11/27/13

UPDATE 6/6/15:  This school burned on 25 April 2014.  On 6/4/15, we drove past the site and this photo shows where this school stood.