Odebolt in Sac County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Iowa Rural Schools History
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 10, 2017
1. Iowa Rural Schools History Marker
Inscription.
Iowa Rural Schools History. .
Iowa Rural Schools History. Willow Tree School (Richland #1) is representative of Iowa's 12,623 rural schools that made up the State of Iowa's Rural School System from 1858-1966. Iowa was progressive in designing an equitable public school system to serve all farm children in grades one to eight, using one teacher per school. Each school served families within a four square mile area surrounding it. This meant all children had no more than a two mile walk to school. The Rural School System helped create a distinct Iowa culture after the Civil War by educating and assimilating over a million immigrant farm settlers. Even though they spoke different languages and came from different cultures, within thirty years they managed to create a Corn Belt economy out of a tall grass prairie. Although mostly rural, by 1901 Iowa tied for the most literate state and maintained this status and achieved top test scores in the nation while the system operated.,
History of This Representative School. Sebastian Buehler, a decorated Civil War Union soldier who had immigrated from Germany in 1855 at the age of 9, was the first to buy land in Richland Township, Sac County in 1871. (Odebolt was platted in 1877.) He was followed by his brother-in-law, Valentino Rudolph, his brother Jacob and others he invited to join him. Sebastian donated an acre of land, NE tip of Section 11, for the school and was the first teacher. The school operated from 1883 until 1951. It then served as the Richland 4-H Boys Clubhouse until it was sold in 1959 for $281.50 to Harold and Ruth Boney for use as a livestock building. In 2011, it was donated to the City of Odebolt by Curtis and Carol Raasch. It was moved to the Odebolt Legacy Square by Sebastian Buehler's great-grandson, Don Hoefling, and great-great grandson, Dale Hoefling.
Iowa Rural Schools History
Willow Tree School (Richland #1) is representative of Iowa's 12,623 rural schools that made up the State of Iowa's Rural School System from 1858-1966. Iowa was progressive in designing an equitable public school system to serve all farm children in grades one to eight, using one teacher per school. Each school served families within a four square mile area surrounding it. This meant all children had no more than a two mile walk to school. The Rural School System helped create a distinct Iowa culture after the Civil War by educating and assimilating over a million immigrant farm settlers. Even though they spoke different languages and came from different cultures, within thirty years they managed to create a Corn Belt economy out of a tall grass prairie. Although mostly rural, by 1901 Iowa tied for the most literate state and maintained this status and achieved top test scores in the nation while the system operated.
History of This Representative School
Sebastian Buehler, a decorated Civil War Union soldier who had immigrated from Germany in 1855 at the age of 9, was the first to buy land in Richland Township, Sac County in 1871. (Odebolt was platted in 1877.) He was followed by his brother-in-law, Valentino Rudolph, his brother Jacob and others he
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invited to join him. Sebastian donated an acre of land, NE tip of Section 11, for the school and was the first teacher. The school operated from 1883 until 1951. It then served as the Richland 4-H Boys Clubhouse until it was sold in 1959 for $281.50 to Harold and Ruth Boney for use as a livestock building. In 2011, it was donated to the City of Odebolt by Curtis and Carol Raasch. It was moved to the Odebolt Legacy Square by Sebastian Buehler's great-grandson, Don Hoefling, and great-great grandson, Dale Hoefling.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1883.
Location. 42° 18.713′ N, 95° 15.085′ W. Marker is in Odebolt, Iowa, in Sac County. Marker can be reached from West 2nd Street just west of Main Street, on the left when traveling west. Marker is mounted at eye-level at Iowa Rural Schools Museum (1883 Willow Tree School) entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 122 West 2nd Street, Odebolt IA 51458, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Iowa Rural Schools Museum. The Iowa Rural Schools Museum captures the spirit and pride of Iowa's rural past. The school once stood in Richland Township, Sac County, Iowa, and was known as Willow Tree or Richland #1. (Submitted on December 11, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 10, 2017
3. Willow Tree School
(marker visible just left of entrance) Richland Township #1 — Sac Co. Built 1883, Closed 1951
Willow Tree School replaced the Fred Petersmeyer's Farm School started in 1876. Fred, father of 14 children, was a German carpenter turned farmer who built this school with other farmers. The State paid $200+ for the materials.
Restoration Completed 2013 City of Odebolt - Rural Legacy Project By Greg Neville Construction & Volunteers Restoration Architect Consultant: Marie V. Sedlecek Rural Legacy Committee Chair: Carol Raasch Museum Curators: Sandra Kessler Host; Dee Kessler Engstrom
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 10, 2017
4. "Time for School" Sculpture
Sculpture "Time for School" by Dr. William Faller is dedicated to the families and their descendants who built and maintained this school and to the memory of all scholars of Iowa's rural schools.
Sebastian and Mary Obrecht Buehler 1871 Valentino and Catherine Buehler Rudolph 1871 Jacob and Elise Einspahr Buehler 1872 Henry and Elizabeth Reutzel Kessler 1874 William and Verena Widmer Meyer 1875 August and Catherine Buehler Dannenberg 1875 Frederick and Caroline Saak Petersmeyer 1876 Henry and Caroline Petersmeyer Frevert 1876 Adam and Barbara Haefner Halboth 1877 August and Louisa Rabe Dannenberg 1879 Karl and Catherine Beckley Frevert 1880 George and Mary Ann Lickel Aupperle 1880 Carl and Caroline Krowas Siebrecht 1888 William and Delilah Cree Rhule 1982
Donated by Dr. Faller, Rural Legacy Project, and Tony & Sandra Kessler Host
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 10, 2017
5. "Time for School" Sculpture
(1883 Willow Tree School in left background)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 11, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 304 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 11, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.