Constructed in 1856, the historic
Abbe Creek School is believed to be the oldest standing brick school house in Iowa. It is managed by the Linn County Conservation Board and is open & staffed on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 PM during the months of June, July & August. Special arrangements may be made to visit this unique historic site at other times by utilizing the following contacts:
- SCHOOL/YOUTH GROUPS - Contact staff at the Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center - (319) 892-6485
- PRIVATE/FAMILY/SMALL GROUPS - Contact our South Cedar District Staff at Squaw Creek Park - (319) 377-5954
Abbe Creek School was first organized in 1844 by pioneer homesteaders, and a local carpenter was engaged to build the first log school. The school was first called "Sumner" or "Kepler" but later it came to be known affectionately as "Little Brick". In pioneer times the school served as the center of community life. It served as a school on weekdays and a church on Sundays. Occasionally, a circuit reading preacher from Dubuque would hold services. Attendance at the school was not required. The farm work came first and in the time left over, the children went to school. Children started to attend school when they were four and rarely finished the full eight grades.
Records in the Linn County Assessor's office indicate that the present schoolhouse was built in 1856 of soft brick thought to have been manufactured locally at Port Stottler brickyard. The building measures 20 X 26 feet and originally faced north. Behind it lay the community cemetery called Sugar Grove, where many early residents are buried - including two Civil War veterans. Many graves date from the 1850s. With the grading and paving of the Lincoln Highway in 1925, the school was moved to face east and the cemetery was isolated from it by the highway. A Lincoln Highway marker still stands on the school grounds.
The doors of Abbe Creek School closed in 1936 after serving the community for 92 years. The building was later converted into a private home. The schoolhouse was restored, and dedicated as a museum in 1964 by the Linn County Conservation Board. Original books, slates, lunch buckets and other materials of the late1800s seen in the school have been donated by area residents. Old school records show that teachers were paid very small salaries in the 1870s - ranging from $20 - $30/month. By 1897, a teacher for the winter term was paid $35/month and allowed $10 for the care of the schoolhouse.