Property Record
9770 STH 19
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Old Halfway Prairie School |
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| Other Name: | Halfway Prairie School |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 223147 |
| Location (Address): | 9770 STH 19 |
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| County: | Dane |
| City: | |
| Township/Village: | Mazomanie |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 8 |
| Range: | 6 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 11 |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1860 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2012 |
| Historic Use: | one to six room school |
| Architectural Style: | Front Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Asbestos |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | Y |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. The school building was constructed c.1860. It is rectangular in plan with a stone foundation, asbestos siding, and a metal-clad front-gable roof. The front elevation faces south and is symmetrical in plan with a central front door flanked by two 6-over-6 windows; the roofline of the front entry bay is slightly lower than the remainder of the building. A small front-gabled bell house is centered on the roof peak. The interior of the building retains its original spatial organization (a small entry vestibule and one large classroom) and contains original wood flooring with paneled walls and ceilings; original built-in bookcases and shelves remain. Although a Dane County Historical Society marker on the site indicates that the building was constructed of logs in 1844 and is the oldest extant rural schoolhouse in Dane County, consultation with a number of historic resources and the Mazomanie Historical Society suggest otherwise. School records, plat maps, historic narratives, and visual examination of the building indicate that it was likely built in about 1860 and is of frame construction. It operated as a public school from that time until 1962 when it was closed due to district consolidation. Since 1964, the property has been owned and operated by Dane County as a public park and museum. The Old Halfway Prairie School was constructed in about 1860 on land owned by L. Hubbard. At that time, the school building was known both as School District No. 3 as well as Halfway Prairie School. In these early dais, in addition to serving as a public school, the building was used by the surrounding community as a place of worship where services were led by local lay liturgists and circuit preachers from Black Earth. In 1902, local builder Henry Niendorf constructed a woodshed just east of the school for a total cost of $60. In 1932, another school building was constructed along Highway 19 in the Halfway Prairie area, and the earlier building's name was changed to "Old" Halfway Prairie School to distinguish between the two (the New Halfway Prairie School was demolished in 2004 when the new Berry Town Hall was constructed on the site). Throughout its long history, the local school district never sought to enlarge the building or raise its foundation, but rather continued to make small improvements to the property for the safety and comfort of the students and teachers. This included the installation of 28 new desks in 1917, the installation of its first electric lights in 1920, the addition of screens to the windows in 1923, the installation of a galvanized metal roof fro the wood shed in 1924, the installation of a sink in 29124 (previous to this, water was provided by the existing manual water pump located west of the school building), the construction of a new chimney in 1925, the installation of interior wall board in 1926, the acquisition of a new piano in 1929, the installation of a new oil stove in 1949, the erection of playground equipment in 1950, and the installation of a telephone in 1951. At some point after 1910, wooden shutters were removed from the windows. The existing asbestos siding and metal roof were likely added sometime between 1920 and 1950; both were in place before the building ceased operating as a school in 1962. The Old Halfway Prairie School closed in 1962 due to district consolidation. The building remained in the ownership of Black Earth-Mazomanie Consolidated District No. 1 until 1964 when it became a Dane County park, due, in part, to the petitioning of a group of local supporters who believed that the property was a significant Dane County landmark and would be a convenient location for a wayside park. Since then, a gazebo was constructed around the outdoor water pump, two new outhouses were built to replace the previous structures, and the swing set was moved slightly northwards on the lot. In 2012, a small bell house was added to the roof peak; no evidence was found to suggest that the building originally featured a bell house. Other structures on site include: #223292 #228000 #228001 #227887 #227888 #227889 |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |