Summary
First Kindergarten
919 Charles Street, Watertown, Jefferson County
In 1856 Margarethe Schurz started a kindergarten in the Schurz's Watertown home for her young daughter and four of her daughter's cousins. When more children wanted to join, Mrs. Schurz opened a school in this small building. This was the first kindergarten in America.
While living in Germany, sixteen year old Margarethe had been influenced by a series of lectures by the noted educator Friedrich Froebel. Froebel's course was on the "the new education," of which kindergarten was the first step. She later assisted her sister, Madame Ronge, in running a kindergarten in London. After moving to Wisconsin in 1856, Margarethe Schurz applied these ideas to her school.
Until the mid-twentieth century this building stood in the commercial area of Watertown. Faced with demolition in 1956, the Watertown Historical Society moved the building to the grounds of the Richards Octagon, where it is operated as a museum. After its move the building was restored to its original appearance, with clapboard siding and plain board trim.
The property is open seasonally.
Property Details
| Criteria | Person,Event |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Education |
| Period of Significance | 1850-1874 |
| Architectural Style | No Style Listed |
| Architect | |
| Resource Type | Building |
| Historic Use | School |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 1 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Feb 23, 1972 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jan 1, 1989 |
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.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Watertown, the birthplace of America's kindergarten!
Sep 07, 1928
Milton Journal
Margarethe Meyer Schurz
Head and shoulders portrait of Mrs. Margarethe Meyer Schurz, the first kindergarten teacher in the United States. Caption reads: "Mrs. Carl Schurz First Kindergarten teacher in the United States. C...
The First Kindergarten in America
Artist's rendering of an elevated view of the first kindergarten, with children and a teacher gathered in front of the building. There are inset portraits of Carl Schurz and Margarethe Schurz on th...
