School Museum closes

The Iowa Rural Schools Museum of Odebolt on Heritage Square Park has closed for the summer season. The last day the school was open to the public was Wednesday, Oct. 29.  However you may still schedule a visit to the museum by calling 712-830-8328.  It is heated!

Odebolt’s country school isn’t a classroom only, though it does have examples of the styles of desks used from 1883 to 1951, when the building closed its doors to regular classes and started bussing the district’s children to Odebolt.

There are student desks, the wood/coal/cob burning stove, teacher’s desks and many other classroom items you may have seen in other school buildings.

The museum also has more than 1,000 items, including period toys, household and farm tools; photos of locals who attended country school around Odebolt; lamps and lighting examples; various ways the teacher and students enjoyed music; globes; examples of writing instruments throughout its 68 years; and more.

The museum has more than 1,000 books, pamphlets, teachers’ resource books and other writings, many available for research by arranging an appointment.

There are some surprises and plans for the coming year, so keep checking back.