Serendipity...

Great Schoolhouse Find in Scott County, Iowa!
While attending the 2023 Preservation Iowa Country School Conference September 22nd & 23rd, we traveled  to Davenport's Putnam Museum giant theater for the world premier of Emmy Award Winners Tammy and Kelly Rundle's newest movie, "Resurrecting Forest Grove" (more on that soon...).  We decided to stop first in Scott County to find a schoolhouse suggested on our program. It was totally worth the trip! We mistakenly drove the whole loop of the Scott County Park and found miles of hiking trails, lush woods, camping facilities, people walking their dogs, an RV park filled to capacity with overnighters, even a hunter's safety class....but no schoolhouse.

​As we exited the park confused, we looked to our right and there it was. Next to a spired white church stood a proud little while schoolhouse characteristic of many we had visited in Iowa over the years. It was part of the Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village and as luck would have it, the door was open (but with a locked gate beyond the cloakroom). That was fine as you could easily take pictures through the gate to envision a class in session.

What a wonderful schoolhouse it is with a stove befitting a mansion, matched desks, American flag, Washington and Lincoln, recitation bench, schoolbooks  and schoolhouse artifacts carefully displayed, and a piano. Well tended and meticulously preserved, the schoolhouse would impress any of our country school enthusiasts. Like time stood still...and so well tended!

According to Scott Country Conservation, "Walnut Grove was a Scott County cross-roads settlement and stage coach stop of the 1860s. The Village includes 22 historic buildings, some relocated from rural Scott County. Pioneer Village has accessible and modern restroom facilities. Great for school groups, weddings and family picnics."

For more visitor information click on the link below and consider a visit one day. So much to see beyond the schoolhouse...Open through October.

SCOTT COUNTY CONSERVATION

PIONEER VILLAGE- TRIP ADVISOR