The Earlham Public School is a historic building located in Earlham, Iowa, United States. The town's name was chosen by the Quakers, who were the largest group of settlers in the community.[2] They named it for Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana because they intended to establish a similar institution in the town. Fundraising got underway in 1869, and the following year plans were made to establish a public befitting a college town. Earlham Public School open in 1871. Jennings P. Osborn, a local builder, constructed the two-story structure of smooth-faced limestone that rests on rusticated limestone foundation. The building soon proved to be too small and a brick addition was added to the south side of the original building.
Earlham Public School | |
 The brick addition to the school. | |
   | |
| Location | 809 Main St. Earlham, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°29′31″N 94°07′16″W / 41.49194°N 94.12111°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1871 |
| Built by | Jennings P. Osborn |
| MPS | Legacy in Stone: The Settlement Era of Madison County, Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002631[1] |
| Added to NRHP | June 2, 1982 |
The college plans fell through because of a lack of financing. The Quakers founded Earlham Academy in 1892 hoping it would grow into a college, but it did not.[2] They sold the building to the local public school in 1900, and they used it for a high school. This building was used by the elementary grades. School districts were consolidated in 1920 and a larger building that could accommodate all grades was built in Earlham. This building was used from that point as a Masonic lodge until it was converted into a local museum. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b Ralph J. Christian. "Earlham Public School". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-07-28. with photos
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