The 1876 Schoolhouse appears in the award-winning documentary
"Country School: One Room - One Nation" and the new documentary
River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6.
Little did we know that while filming the 1876 Schoolhouse in Coralville, Iowa for our documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation that we would reach an “intersection” with a future project about the historic transcontinental Highway 6.
Situated on the original Highway 6 alignment, the beautiful two-story, red-brick country school is a “must see” historical museum operated by the Johnson County Historical Society. The school was built on a small acreage donated by the Ezekiel Clark family, accommodating classes for grades 1-8 on the first floor and a gymnasium and auditorium on the second floor—no doubt, the floor where many Christmas programs were presented to the rural community.
The structure served as a place for learning until 1951. Through the years, the schoolhouse has been used for various other purposes, including a recreational center for teens and a warehouse, before it was put to use as a museum. The restored two-room schoolhouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is open by appointment by calling 319.351.5738.
Visit: www.johnsoncountyhistory.org for more information about the 1876 Schoolhouse in Coralville, Iowa (just off of Highway 6).
For more information about Iowa’s Highway 6 and the fascinating history and charming towns that line the route, visit www.route6tour.com/Route6iowa.htm or email Executive Director of the Iowa U.S. Route 6, Dave Darby at Iowa@route6tour.com
Planning to take a Transcontinental Highway 6 road trip this summer? Visit the Route 6 Tourist Association website at http://www.route6tour.com/
Production on the documentary adventure River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6 continues through 2012. Anticipated release of the film is slated for 2013.
