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Summary
Frances Willard Schoolhouse
Janesville, Rock County
Date of Construction: 1853
The Frances Willard Schoolhouse is one of the earliest remaining one-room schoolhouses in southern Wisconsin. To further local children's education in a "real" school, Josiah Willard and neighbor David Inman built the schoolhouse in 1853 along the banks of the Rock River. Today, the school is named after the famous local Temperance activist Frances Willard, daughter of Josiah Willard. Citizens named the school for her because of her role as a leader and fighter for morality and equal rights. She attended school as one of the first students, and later became the teacher.
It is a small Greek Revival style building with the triangular, front-gabled pediment, returned cornices, and added frieze board that characterize the style. Three large windows on either side light the interior. The main façade has a single entrance in place of the original separate boys' and girls' entrances. Its plain, brown, clapboard siding gave it the nickname the "little brown nut," where students spent from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or later, sometimes having to eat dinner at the school during the early winter nights.
Entering the building, the single room once held rows of desks separated by gender facing a raised teacher's platform.
Now located on the 4-H Fairgrounds, it continues to teach today's students about education.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
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For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Rock County Historical Society (was CRAIG AVE, ROCK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS)
49854
Located in Janesville, Rock County
WI 67 and Betts Rd.
81000066
Located in Town of Eagle, Waukesha County
Frances E. Willard School
1910
Frances Willard School house built in 1853. The image of a bow is printed on the left. Caption reads: "The Francis E. Willard School, Janesville, Wis."
Frances Willard and her school an asset for Janesville
Aug 21, 1930
Janesville Gazette
Frances Willard School House
Group of people outdoors at an event at Frances Willard School.
