The Elk Township Historical Society invites you to our Open House on Saturday, July 13, from 1- 4 PM at the former Scandia one-room school. The 1870s wooden one-room school has most of what you would have seen in its early days. But the outhouse and pitcher pump are gone. Kids can sit at an original desk (and adults if you can squeeze in), write on a lap slate with chalk and experience how students learned in school way back when. The painted blackboard or chalkboard has a lesson from when it was covered over in a years-ago remodeling. Over a century of enrollment records are available for our school, plus records from eleven other one-room schools that were located in Elk Township. We also have many years of class photos. The Scandia school operated until 1999.

A museum across the hallway has food preparation items, hand tools and other equipment used on the homestead. We also have geneological references including township families by road name, many photographs and much more relating to life of the early settlers. Learn about family operated dairy farms, methods of preserving food, hand-made leather shoes, and the Scandia Coal Mine.

We have a pavilion and playground at the school where you can bring your lunch and kids can play. If you cannot come in July, set your calendar for our August 10 Open House. Talk to us about using the Community Room for your event. Search “Elk Township Historical Society” for our Facebook page.