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Summary
This building became significant for a meeting that took place on the evening of March 20, 1854. The people at the meeting were mostly Whigs, Free Soilers, and Democrats who believed that their respective parties could not prevent the extension of slavery to the north. They came out of the schoolhouse in agreement that one unified front was crucial to the fight against slavery and thus began the Republican Party. In 1860, the schoolhouse was moved and converted into a private residence. The schoolhouses' final owner, Miss Perrine, put the schoolhouse up for sale in 1908. At this time, Samuel Peddrick called the community's attention to the historical importance of the building. It was decided by a committee to purchase the schoolhouse, relocate it, and preserve it for the benefit of the community in 1908. The schoolhouse moved three times around the Ripon College Campus before it was relocated to 305 Blackburn Street in Ripon. It remained at this site until 2023, when the building was moved to its present location at 1074 W Fond du Lac Street. The building is significant as the birthplace of the Republican Party and acts of preservation for a commemorative property.
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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The Little White Schoolhouse Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Friday, August 02, 2024
The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Little White Schoolhouse in the National Register of Historic Places on July 22, 2024.
1074 W Fond du Lac St
73000079
Located in Ripon, Fond du Lac County
Birthplace of Republican Party Historic Marker
1074 W Fond Du Lac St, Ripon
Birthplace of the Republican Party
1938
Text at foot reads: "Birthplace of the Republican Party, Ripon, Wis." Handwritten at foot of image: "First Meeting Held Here-March 20th, 1854. Ripon, Wis." The Little White Schoolhouse, the birthpl...
Republican Schoolhouse
1936
Exterior view of the Republican Schoolhouse, also known as the Birthplace of the Republican Party.
