Historic Shoemaker School
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Stone Arch Bridge
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Commemorative Plaza

Historic Shoemaker School, also, Stone Arch Bridge, also, Commemorative Plaza. . , Historic Shoemaker School , In 1851, a leg school building was built by Hammond Shoemaker on his form south of Columbia for his children and the families of his neighbors. Shoemaker was the only doctor along the Kaskaskia Cahokia Trail, the major pioneer thoroughfare across Illinois territory A new brick school building was built on the farm in 1867 by Fred Koch Construction for $800. In 1891, in accordance with a new school law, the one room school organized as Shoemaker District# 4 , Shoemaker School became a part of the Columbia School District in 1950. Since the school's directors had already contracted Marian Maag to teach for the 1950-51 term prior to this consolidation, the old school was kept open for one final year. In 1992, the school building was moved to its present site in order to avoid demolition due to the widening of Illinois 3 Acquired by the City of Columbia in 2009, the school was then transformed into the Monroe County Welcome Center and associated facilities. , In 2018, the building was again transformed to become Pop-Up Shop Columbia, Illinois. This new use for the building allows retail entrepreneurs to test their business concepts and the Columbia, Illinois market and at the same time encourages visitors to experience the history of the one room school. , Stone Arch Bridge , The landscape of Monroe County is dotted with a number of European-style stone arch bridges. The arch was first used by the Roman Empire for bridges and aqueducts and is still a popular design because it can withstand extreme conditions. German immigrants to Monroe County in the mid 18th century borrowed this design and used the abundance of local limestone to construct bridges over area streams and creeks, many which are still standing like the one here., The landscape of Monroe County is dotted with a number of European-style stone arch bridges. The arch was first used by the Roman Empire for bridges and aqueducts and is still a popular design because it can withstand extreme conditions. German immigrants to Monroe County in the mid 18th century borrowed this design and used the abundance of local limestone to construct bridges over area streams and creeks, many which are still standing like the one here., Commemorative Plaza , The one room schoolhouse commemorative plaza located just outside the entrance to the schoolhouse designates all 60+ one room schools that dotted Monroe County in 1900. Three remain in Columbia today, Shoemaker, Sandbank and St. Paul Lutheran Schools.