Kenosha in Kenosha County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Site of the First Free School

By Paul Fehrenbach, October 22, 2013

1. Site of the First Free School Marker

Inscription. This boulder is placed by the Kenosha Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution to mark the site of the first free school outside of New England in the Union. It was opened June 18, 1845. The pioneers in this work were:
Michael Frank
Josiah Bond
Henry B. Hinsdale
Charles Clement
John B. Jilson
Reuben Deming
F.W. Lyman
O.E. Dana
Hayes McKinley
Charles Durkee
Theodore Newell
Harvey Durkee
J.V. Quarles
Sereno Fisk
C. Lathan Sholes
Samuel Hale
Charles Sholes

Erected by the Kenosha Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution.

Marker series. This marker is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution marker series.

Location. 42° 34.958′ N, 87° 49.443′ W. Marker is in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in Kenosha County. Marker is at the intersection of 11th Avenue and 58th Street, on the left when traveling south on 11th Avenue. Touch for map. In Kenosha, streets run east and west, and avenues run north and south. The marker is two blocks west of Sheridan Road / Wis STH 32, on 58th Street. Marker is in this post office area: Kenosha WI 53140, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this

By Paul Fehrenbach, October 22, 2013

2. Site of the First Free School Marker

This is a view of the marker looking east along 58th Street.

marker. Kenosha County Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Congregational Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Civil War Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Capt. David Leet and S Sgt. James Van Bendegom (approx. ¼ mile away); St. Matthew’s Church (approx. ¼ mile away); Gilbert M. Simmons Memorial Library (approx. ¼ mile away); The First Church in Kenosha (approx. 0.3 miles away); Reuben Deming (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kenosha.

Categories. • Education •

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on October 23, 2013, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 358 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 23, 2013, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • William J. Toman was the editor who published this page.