National Register of Historic Places

Williamson School

Williamson, Lucas County, Iowa
Listed
April 30, 1998
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
98000374

About this property

Williamson School, also known as District High School, is a historic building located in Williamson, Iowa, United States. George E. Williamson, for whom the town was named, built the first school buildings in town. As they became too small, the local school district decided to build a larger structure. Chariton, Iowa architect W.L. Perkins designed the two-story brick building, and D.A. Enslow & Son, also of Chariton, constructed the building. The school opened with 11 grades in September 1923 and it graduated its first class in 1926. The gymnasium and auditorium Because Williamson was a mining town many boys left school to work in the mines when they were physically able. Williamson School Superintendent Kridelbaugh developed what became known as the "Kridelbaugh System" where boys would continue to work in the mines and go to school part-time. Several of the boys eventually graduated from the school. The last graduating class from high school was in 1944, and the building continued to house kindergarten through eighth grade until 1959. At that time the school became a part of the Chariton Community School District and became known as Williamson Elementary School. In June 1995 the school was discontinued. The building was sold to the Williamson Historical Society the following year. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The building now houses the Slykhuis Twilight Tea Room.

Location

301 Williamson Ave.
Williamson, Lucas County, Iowa
41.08938, -93.26024

Categories

EDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Geology
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

Payne, O. E., House
Industrial
4.7 mi
Crozier, J.T. and Mollie, House
Industrial
4.8 mi
Chariton Free Public Library
Industrial
5.5 mi
Chariton Herald-Patriot Building
Industrial
5.5 mi
Hotel Charitone
Industrial
5.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Williamson School listed on the National Register?

Williamson School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1998.

What type of historic resource is Williamson School?

Williamson School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Williamson School?

The period of significance for Williamson School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Williamson School?

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