Kasson Public School
About this property
The Kasson Public School building is located at 101 Third Avenue NW in city of Kasson, Dodge County, Minnesota, in the United States. Designed by architect Nels S. Jacobson Jr. of the architectural firm Jacobson & Jacobson, the school was constructed during the years 1917–1918. Kasson's elementary and high school students began using the building on December 5, 1918. In 1919, Samuel A. Challman, Minnesota's State Commissioner of School Buildings, visited the school and noted its architectural design as an example for future construction. The school's design featured three units connected by a corridor. Challman emphasized the importance of public-school buildings in shaping community and student experiences. The school served as Kasson's only school until 1958, when the district merged with Mantorville and built a new facility. After 1958, the building housed Kasson Elementary School until 2005. Subsequently, it was used for alternative education, community education, and school district administrative activities. These uses ended in 2005. A water tower built in 1895, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, stands behind the school. In 2006, the City of Kasson obtained the school. A referendum to reuse the building as a city hall and police station failed in November 2006. The city council then voted to demolish the building. In response, citizens formed the Kasson Alliance for Restoration (KARE) to advocate for preservation. In 2007, KARE halted demolition by filing a lawsuit against the city. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 6, 2007. The lawsuit was settled out of court in August 2008. An Historic Properties Reuse Study in 2009 suggested multiple reuses for the school, including apartments, a library, and a community center. The city formed a Citizen's Task Force and polled residents in 2010, reporting support for reuse. KARE declined a city offer for partial ownership due to fundraising and planning concerns. In September 2010, the Kasson Public Library Building Committee (KPLBC) was established to explore reusing the school site as a library. In August 2011, the committee presented a plan to build a new library after demolishing the old school; the council did not approve demolition but continued planning. In November 2011, the school was offered for sale, attracting interest from several developers. Sherman Associates from Minneapolis proposed a senior housing project, but lacked sufficient funding and withdrew in late 2012. The city then voted for demolition, but citizens intervened. The school was eventually sold for $240,000 to a limited partnership, with KARE as the general partner.
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Kasson Public School
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Questions about this property
When was Kasson Public School listed on the National Register?
Kasson Public School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 6, 2007.
What type of historic resource is Kasson Public School?
Kasson Public School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Kasson Public School?
The period of significance for Kasson Public School is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Kasson Public School?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Kasson Public School will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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