Schoolhouse

Schoolhouse. Built: Pre-1900s. , This building is rich in stories and is an important part of Annandale's history. Before the turn of the century it stood as a schoolhouse in Southside Township. During the winter of 1911, it was dragged across the ice on Pleasant Lake to its current location where it continued for a decade as a schoolhouse. When a new school was built on Cherry Avenue in the early 1920s, the building began its next chapter. The village offices moved in along with the local library that had started in 1899 with just 317 books., Jail cells were located in the basement and individuals were held here rather than at the county jail like today. Local residents have shared stories of using the bathrooms in the basement just to sneak a look at the jail cells down there. As the years went on the library ended up taking over the entire building. In the 1960s, the library joined Great River Regional Library system to better serve Annandale's residents. This iconic building continued to serve as Annandale's library for 80 years until 2003 when it moved into its new home next door. Once again the building was then available for a new use, yet many in the community still think of the building as "the old library." , Snooty Fox Gallery provided the community with art and gifts from 2004 to 2012. Café Jules then opened in 2014, serving delicious meals for lunch and dinners. With a focus on quality and elegance, this restaurant was soon a dining staple. After Café Jules closed, Nikki Seaberg and Megan Champlin moved their coffee shop, In Hot Water, into this building from just across the street in 2021. Customers can experience the building's significant part of Annandale's history while appreciating featured work on the walls by local artists.