Beach School (Mount Vernon, Iowa)
Beach School | |
| Location | Northwest of Mount Vernon off U.S. Route 30 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°59′27.7″N 91°28′38.8″W / 41.991028°N 91.477444°W |
| Area | about 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1892 |
| Built by | Unknown |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002630[1] |
| Added to NRHP | September 16, 1982 |
Beach School is a historic building located northwest of Mount Vernon, Iowa, United States. Because school district lines had been redrawn, students in this area were forced to attend classes in a building some distance away. Given the condition of rural roads in the late 19th century, that created a hardship for many families.[2] From 1889 to 1891 the school district set aside funds for a new building, and Benjamin Beach donated land on his farm for the new school. Not only was his farmhouse nearby, but Beach also operated a sawmill along the creek east of the school and a gristmill across the road. The one-room schoolhouse was completed in 1892, and a bell was purchased for the building around 1901. Early drawings of the building show a small bell tower.[2] The building was used for educational and social use until 1946, and it has subsequently been converted into a rental home. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[1]
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b Barbara Beving Long; Ralph J. Christian. "Beach School". National Park Service. Retrieved July 18, 2017. with photo(s)