1876 Coralville Schoolhouse

In 1876, the Ezekiel Clark family donated 1/3 of an acre for the school. The brick building boasted native limestone foundations and cast iron star anchors. Originally, classes were held on the first floor, with the second floor being used as the gymnasium and auditorium. As the population increased, both floors were pressed into service as classrooms. Through the 1930s enrollment averaged about forty pupils. A bond issue was passed to build a new school in the spring of 1948 with the first classes held in 1949. The 1876 school was closed but by 1950 a burgeoning school population necessitated its reopening for seventh and eighth grades. In 1951, yet another school was built and the 1876 school became a warehouse. In 1959, the need for recreational facilities in Coralville led to the Recreation Commission developing the first floor of the 1876 school as a teen center. It continued to be used for this purpose until 1966 when a new city recreation center was built and the old school returned to its role as a warehouse. In 1974 the title to the property was acquired by the City of Coralville and a 50-year lease was signed by the city and the Johnson County Historical Society for a Heritage Museum. It is now open for tours with a hands-on, interactive 1876 classroom.