Central School Preservation

Central School Preservation We're a unique museum housed in a school that served the Lake City community from 1884 to 1980.

We are still a center of learning as we develop, maintain and share historic central school as a cultural and heritage center for the Lake City community.

Since it still feels like summer, let's do a blast from the past, courtesy of 1986! Looking Back 40 Years at the Summer ...
09/01/2026

Since it still feels like summer, let's do a blast from the past, courtesy of 1986!

Looking Back 40 Years at the Summer of ‘86
by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, Central School Preservation board president

It’s always fun to look back at past issues of local newspapers and see what was going on in the area back then. This time let’s dig into the August 13, 1986, edition of the Lake City Graphic:

Fund started to Furnish Air Conditioning for Community Building. A fund spearheaded by Gert Hying and Madonna Kunecke has been started at the Lake City State Bank to accept donations to purchase an add-on air conditioning unit for the Lake City Community Building. A fundraising goal will be set as soon as price estimates are received. “We feel with all of the work done at the Community Building [including the new furnace], air conditioning is all that is needed to make it a truly year-round facility,” Hying said. “We are hoping to reach the goal without having to use any city funds.”

Soap scrimmage. The annual soap scrimmage at Lake City High School is scheduled for August 29 at 7:30 p.m. A Booster Club meeting will immediately follow the scrimmage.

Fall sports practices will begin Monday, August 18, with football and volleyball starting at 8 a.m. Cross country will begin August 18 at 7 a.m. at the Lake City Country Club.

Bloodmobile Tops Goal by 2 Pints. It was a beautiful day Thursday Aug. 7 as 134 people came to Woodlawn Christian Church to donate blood. A total of 122 pints were collected, surpassing the goal of 120 pints. First-time donors were Gordon Budd, Michael Graff, Jana Ellis, Kevin McCaulley, Russ Adams, Tina Gray, Todd Watters, Joan Clairborne, Sherry Gulbranson, Chris Eichhorn and Linda Weimers. The next Bloodmobile will be March 1987.

SMCH Fall Frolic. The Stewart Memorial Community Hospital Auxiliary will present the Fall Frolic on Sunday, Aug. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the hospital. This Sunday afternoon of family fun and games will include games, sports, a general store and bar-b-q. Door-to-door ticket sales in Lake City start Wed. Aug. 13. Tickets for ages 13 and up cost $4.

Capri Home Video in the Capri Theatre in Lake City. Save $1 on tape rentals on Thursday. Save $2 on tapes on Sunday. Open 2 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

Lake City Lanes will be open August 15. 50-cent bowling Aug. 15-17. Free refreshments on Sunday, Aug. 17 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m. Women’s Association & League Meeting, secretary Nancy Korleski. Monday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m., Monday Night Mob, secretary Bette Gordon; Thursday, Aug. 21, 2 p.m., Afternoon Coffee League, secretary Judy Snyder; Thursday, Aug. 21, 7:30 p.m., All Men Bowlers, Tuesday and Thursday leagues, contact Jim Olberding.

Hind Quarter Anniversary Specials. It’s the Hind Quarter Restaurant’s 2nd anniversary, Aug. 14-16. Register for a $25 gift certificate. Stop in for anniversary specials. Thursday, Aug. 14, chicken dinner (half a chicken, salad bar, Texas toast, soup, choice of potato), regularly $4.95, special $2.99; Friday, Aug. 15, ribeye steak dinner (with salad bar, Texas toast, soup, choice of potato), reg. $7.50, special $3.99; Saturday, Aug. 16, pizza special, buy a large pizza at regular price, get a small pizza at half price. [Editor’s note: The Hind Quarter was located in Lake City on South Center Street, in the area where Dance 2 Xtreme –108 South Center Street—is currently located.]

Kinder-Haus, a special little shop for special little people. Infants’ and children's clothing store. New merchandise arriving weekly. Visa and Master Card accepted. Courtesy gift wrap. Personalized service. 60-day layaway. Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Open Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday. Come visit us soon! Nestled on the south side of the square, Lake City.

At the Capri Theatre, “Top Gun.” Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Ending Thursday, Aug. 14, “Karate Kid II.” Bargain night Tuesday! All seats $1.50.

Jerry’s Foodland sales, Aug. 13-18. Shop Jerry’s, the “little store with big ideas.” 5-pound bag generic sugar, 99 cents; 12-ounce can Foodland orange juice, 59 cents; Foodland chicken noodle soup, 10.5-ounce can, 29 cents; USDA choice chuck roast, 99 cents a pound; 8 ounces instant Sanka coffee, $4.89; semi-sweet Nestle chocolate chips, 12 ounces, $2.19; 14-ounce box Lucky Charms cereal, $2.35. Jerry’s Foodland, operated by Jerry and Joyce Peterson. Lake City. Store hours: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Melinda’s School of Dance. Fall registration, Aug. 15, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Featuring classes in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, acrobatics, tumbling, character. Ages 3 to adult, boys and girls. Beginner, intermediate, advanced. 815 West High St., Rockwell City, east of Hunt Truck Lines.

Pioneer Hi-Bred Donation to Hospice. The Community Investment Committee of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., has awarded Community Hospice of Stewart Memorial Community Hospital at donation of $625. Pioneer supports non-profit projects and organizations that address rural youth, family and community concerns, education and soil conservation, and projects of a social and cultural nature. [Editor’s note: That $625 grant would equate to more than $1,900 in 2026 dollars.]

Stewart Memorial Community Hospital Snack Bar Schedule. Thursday, Aug. 14, morning: Hester Crosswait; afternoon, Dian Richardson; evening, Blanche Lee. Friday, Aug. 15, morning: Lucille Sharkey; afternoon, Maxyne Bowie; evening, Arabelle Turner.

Stewart Memorial Community Hospital admissions and discharges. Admissions: Bruce Williams, Lytton; Marlene Purdie, Rockwell City; Richard Heath, Lohrville; Vera Snyder, Lake City; Melissa Freese, Manson; Alma Jones, Gowrie. Discharges: Helen Dirkx, Auburn; Mabel Stewart, Lake City; Cindy Sittig (Mrs. Kurt) and baby girl, Rockwell City; Fran Moberg, Rockwell City.

Open house at “The Depot.” Remodeling is nearly complete on this beautiful, spacious, two-story brick family home in Lake City. The Depot is a historic Lake City landmark for sale. Entry hall, living room, dining room, country kitchen, 4 to 5 bedrooms, one and a half baths, with second full bath planned, attached garage, brick patio, and room to roam on 1.2 acres. Surrounded by 20 acres of grass land. Country living in the city. Asking price $30,000. Located east of the water tower on Front Street, Lake City. [Editor’s note: That $30,000 price equates to $91,400 in 2026 dollars.]

Eleanor’s Frame Shop, custom framing by Eleanor Friedel. Hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, 514 West Main Street, Lake City.

Friday broasted chicken and/or fish, all you can eat. Adults $4. Escalloped potatoes, corn, baked beans, 10 different salads. Serving 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Kelly’s Kafe, Jolley, Iowa.

Volunteers needed! Are you willing to dust, vacuum, or handle some other basic cleaning skills? Central School could use...
08/31/2026

Volunteers needed! Are you willing to dust, vacuum, or handle some other basic cleaning skills? Central School could use a few extra helping hands in the next few weeks to help with some general cleaning at the museum. We can be flexible with scheduling. If you can help, email us at [email protected], or call us at (712) 464-8639.

As the great Audrey Hepburn said, "'As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others." We appreciate volunteers here at Central School and look forward to hearing from you! Thanks so much.

Call it a mystery solved! We recently received an interesting black-and-white photo from our friend Lance at the museum ...
08/28/2026

Call it a mystery solved! We recently received an interesting black-and-white photo from our friend Lance at the museum in Sac City. The Sac City Museum received the photo from the Buena Vista County Historical Society in Storm Lake. A note on the photo indicated the kids in the picture were Lake City High School students.

At first glance, it looks like maybe some Lake City students had the opportunity to sing on the radio station in Storm Lake. That wasn’t the case. The answer can be found in the Eagles’ Echoes section of the January 15, 1953, edition of the Lake City Graphic. (By the way, if you ever want to research back issues of the Graphic and other local newspapers that have been digitized, go to https://www.historiccentralschool.com/ and click on the link on the homepage: https://calhouncounty.advantage-preservation.com/)

Here’s the scoop. We got a kick out of the writing and think you might, too!

Seniors to Storm Lake

"Thursday morning the seniors drove to Storm Lake to have their pictures taken. After arriving safely at our destination, we all trooped to Buntrock-Salie Studios, where Mr. Nesset was first in line to be shot.

When your turn came, you calmly walked into the studio, praying your tie looked impeccable or your collar was in perfect alignment. When you had situated yourself on the revolving stool, they placed you in the most excruciating, uncomfortable position, so that you couldn’t possibly manage a smile. You simply had to resort to the old standbys of saying “cheese,” “beans,” or “prunes” (if you wanted an unusual shot). By 4:30 p.m. the entire senior class was shot.

In between this time, a few events of interest took place. Some of the class visited the girls’ dorm at Buena Vista College and watched the BV basketball squad work out. The Lake City seniors made their radio debut over KAYL and KAYL-FM, the Storm Lake radio station. The man interviewing the class extracted choice personal tidbits from each one. Late the afternoon, the group piled back into their cars and headed back to Lake City.”

In case you’re wondering, Paul Nesset was a science teacher at Lake City High School, as well as a local Cub Scout leader.

Since we've been having an interesting discussion this week about the oldest buildings still standing in Lake City, we t...
08/27/2026

Since we've been having an interesting discussion this week about the oldest buildings still standing in Lake City, we thought you might like an update. We checked with Robin Qualy, whose home at 304 West Main Street is definitely one of the older homes in Calhoun County. This beautiful Victorian home, which combines elements of Italianate and Gothic architectural styles, was built in 1887., Robin reports.

This home was built by Peter Smith and his second wife, Mary. The Smiths also built the house next door to the west (the blue one you can see in the photo) in 1894 for their daughter. Peter Smith was one of the pioneer settlers of Lake City and Calhoun County, as well as a prominent local businessman.

Robin reports that there's an unobstructed view of Central School's bell tower from the front porch of her home on Main Street. How cool!

So Central School, which was built in 1884, is several years older than this historic home. Thought you'd like to know!

We've been wondering--could Central School be one of the oldest buildings still standing in Lake City--and possibly Calh...
08/25/2026

We've been wondering--could Central School be one of the oldest buildings still standing in Lake City--and possibly Calhoun County? The school was built in 1884 and continues to grace the same spot where it was constructed 142 years ago, just south of downtown Lake City.

There are some really cool Victorian-era houses in Lake City (including the one where Lynn Dobson used to live on Main Street and the Richardson family now lives). As best we can tell from historical research, however, those were built around 1889 or the 1890s.

Also, when you consider Calhoun County, we know the country church at Twin Lakes Bible Camp was built in 1861, making it older than Central School, but it was built by Stratford, Iowa, and moved to the Bible camp in 1976.

We welcome your input here!

When the Eagles Ruled and the County Schools ClosedBy Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, Central School Preservation board preside...
08/24/2026

When the Eagles Ruled and the County Schools Closed
By Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, Central School Preservation board president

Recently a community member asked me two interesting questions: 1. When did Lake City become the Eagles?, and 2. When did the country schools close?

I did a deep dive into the newspaper archives at Central School, plus I dug into old Lake City High yearbooks and other resources to try to pinpoint the answers to both.

First, let’s answer the question about when Lake City High School adopted the eagle as its mascot. I’m sure many of you remember when the school colors were blue and red, and the school mascot was the eagle, long before the burgundy and gray of the Southern Cal Mustangs or the purple and black of the South Central Calhoun Titans.

As I searched the archives, I was shocked to learn that Lake City High’s school colors were white and green at one time—at least according to the 1910 Lake City High yearbook. In the early years of the high school (from the 1890s into the 1910s), I couldn’t determine whether Lake City High had a mascot. I don’t think so, because I couldn’t find any references to the eagle or any other mascot. If you look at photos of the football teams and basketball teams from this era, their jerseys usually just have the letters “LC” on them.

The first reference I saw to the Lake City Eagles came from the December 25, 1924, edition of the Lake City Graphic, in a section called “School Notes.”

“Basketball season opened with a bang last Thursday night, in spite of the freezing temperature. Many loyal fans watched the boys romp over Lohrville in two of the fastest games ever played on the local floor. The Eagles doubled the score on them, and the first game ended Lake City, 24, Lohrville, 12.”

The second game was even faster than the first, the newspaper reported. “From the first whistle to the final cheer it was a consistent fight. Lake City’s four-man offense tore through Lorhville’s team time and again, only to miss the basket, but the Eagles’ victory was not to be denied. Just to square accounts, they tripled the score.”

The games were so exciting that Lake City High hosted a pep rally the next day (Friday morning). “There are going to be a lot more victories for the Eagles in the coming season, and a large crowd is wanted at the games, so come out and fill up the bleachers,” the article proclaimed. “We guarantee plenty of excitement and more thrills than a Pendleton round-up.”

What’s a Pendleton round-up, you ask? The Pendleton Round-Up is a legendary, historic rodeo held every September in Pendleton, Oregon. Dubbed “the most exciting rodeo in the world,” this spectacle has been a beloved tradition since 1910 that attracts tens of thousands of people each year.

One more thing about school mascots—they became popular at the college level before catching on at high schools across the country more than 100 years ago. The concept of a sports mascot (derived from the French word mascotte, meaning lucky charm) first appeared in professional baseball and early college sports at schools like Yale in the 1880s. By the 1910s and 1920s, the concept of mascots spread to high school athletics, which were expanding rapidly.

While many high school athletic teams were named after their town or location in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, many high school teams by the 1920s began adopting formal nicknames and symbols to build school spirit.
People were seeking emblems that could embody local pride and identity. That’s why early mascots often felt more serious than silly. A mascot like Lake City High’s eagle stood for strength, power and determination.

So now that we know a little bit more about that part of local history, let’s answer the second question of when the country schools closed. Online searches will tell you that Iowa law required that all public rural schools be closed by June 1966. While that’s true, 1966 was not the year that the country schools closed in the Lake City area.

Depending on where the country schools were located in Calhoun County, the process of consolidation started much earlier. Lohrville consolidated its country schools by 1914, when it opened its large, new school in town. (That school was demolished in 2014.)

More consolidation started occurring in the 1920s. Back then, the Lytton community voted for a consolidated school comprising 44 sections of land, about half in Sac County and half in Calhoun County. Voters approved a $150,000 bond issue. Students moved into the new school in the winter of 1921-22. The curriculum was brought to 12 grades, with a full course of study, including Latin.

Country schools remained open in other parts of the county, however, for a few more decades. In the 1940s and early 1950s, my father, Jim Dougherty, along with his younger brothers Jack and Bob, attended Elm Grove #7, which was located about half a mile east of my family’s farm northwest of Lake City.

By the mid-1950s, though, more consolidation was starting to occur in Calhoun County. The July 15, 1954, edition of the Lake City Graphic ran the front-page headline “Tell Plans for Operating Schools in New District: Both Rural and City School to Function as One Unit After Aug. 30.”

That didn’t mean all the country schools would close just yet. “In Elm Grove Township, schools number 5, 6, 7, and 9 will be operated,” the article noted. “Since schools No. 1 and 2 have insufficient students, they will be closed, and the children will be transported to Lake City. Schools 3, 4 and 8 have been closed for several years.”

It was a similar story in Calhoun Township, where country schools No. 1 and 7 would remain in operation, while schools 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 had been closed for several years by this point. All in all, 11 of the 20 country schools that remained around Lake City in 1954 stayed open during the 1954-55 school year.

A year later, Lake City-area students’ country school days were over forever. By the first day of school on August 29, 1955, all the country schools around Lake City had been closed permanently.

“Lincoln, Central and the high school will house all children in the district this year,” noted the front-page article “Everything Set for Opening of Schools Here,” which appeared in the August 11, 1955, edition of the Lake City Graphic. “Lincoln School will house four grades; Central will house all kindergarten and fifth-grade pupils, in addition to having one classroom in each grade, one through six.”

Other front-page news in that edition of the Graphic reported that 11 country schoolhouses in the Lake City district would be auctioned off in late August. “The schoolhouses are equipped with furnaces or oil stoves, pianos, desks, tables, oil tanks, etc. Playground equipment will also be included in the auctions.”

The closure of the remaining local country schools by the summer of 1955 pushed enrollment in the Lake City school district from 575 to 890 students for the 1955-56 school year. “With the decision of the Lanesboro board of education to close its high school and send the pupils to Lake City, a record enrollment of 240 was reported in the high school building last year,” added the June 28, 1956, edition of the Lake City Graphic.

While some country school buildings would continue to serve as polling places during elections for a few years to come, the era of the country schools had begun fading into history.

Save the date! Central School Preservation has been coordinating with Iowa filmmaker Jeremy Glazier to bring his documen...
08/20/2026

Save the date! Central School Preservation has been coordinating with Iowa filmmaker Jeremy Glazier to bring his documentary film "From Iowa and Back: The Vietnam Era" to the Lake City Capri Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. (Don't worry--the Cy-Hawk game isn't until that evening!)

The first 50 people who come to the movie will get in free, thanks to the Friends of the Community Memorial Building. Everyone who attends can enjoy free popcorn, courtesy of the County Farm Bureau. The Dougherty family of Lake City is sponsoring free pop.

(More sponsorships are available, if you or your business would like to help bring this film--and Jeremy himself--to Lake City. Jeremy would like to do interviews with local Vietnam veterans while he's in the area.)

"From Iowa and Back: The Vietnam Era" is an award-winning film that tells the stories of Iowans who served in the military during the Vietnam era. Their stories are powerful and must not be forgotten:

https://jeremyglazier.com/from-iowa-and-back/

We hope you can come to Lake City on Sept. 12 for this powerful film. Please spread the word, share this post, and bring a friend or two.

Thanks to everyone who attended the barn history program last evening, Aug. 17, at Central School! We had 30 people in a...
08/18/2026

Thanks to everyone who attended the barn history program last evening, Aug. 17, at Central School! We had 30 people in attendance, lots of good conversations, and plenty of enthusiasm for preserving Iowa's rural heritage!

Look at this! We love the bright, inviting lobby that just shines at Central School. A huge thank you to Joyce Wiederin,...
08/14/2026

Look at this! We love the bright, inviting lobby that just shines at Central School. A huge thank you to Joyce Wiederin, our newest board member, for donating her time and the materials to repaint the lobby--a job that hadn't been done for a looooong time.

In the last few weeks, Joyce cleaned and primed the floor and two staircases leading to the second floor. Then she painted multiple coats of this very attractive, light color, plus she added a glossy top coat. Our board members were so impressed with the final results when we had a board meeting earlier this week. Amazing what some new coats of paint can do!

Can you imagine Iowa without barns? Central School Preservation will be hosting a free Iowa barn history program on Mon...
08/11/2026

Can you imagine Iowa without barns? Central School Preservation will be hosting a free Iowa barn history program on Monday, August 17, at the museum (211 South Center Street, Lake City) at 7 p.m. Deann Haden, a Calhoun County representative with the Iowa Barn Foundation (IBF), has graciously offered to share her knowledge of Iowa barns and promote the IBF’s 2026 all-state barn tour, which will be held the weekend of Sept. 19-20. I hope you can join us!

“A historian once said, ‘Preserve what you can’t replace,’” Haden said. “In Iowa, our history includes agriculture and farming traditions, often symbolized by barns on the landscape. Come learn what barns can tell us, ways to identify their features, and how the IBF helps to preserve these amazing icons for our future.”

You’ll hear about some of the 107 barns across Iowa that will be open for self-guided tours in September 2026. The all-state tour highlights a diverse array of barns, including ones that have received restoration grants from the non-profit IBF. Other barns on the tour have received an Award of Distinction or Preservation Award for restoration fully funded by the owner.

When Haden visits Central School, she will also talk about the IBF’s June 2027 tour, which will feature Calhoun County barns and honor the IBF’s 30th anniversary.

About a 1,000 or more barns disappear each year from the Iowa landscape. Some of those barns have fallen into disrepair and are torn down. Others are destroyed by tornadoes or fires.

That’s why the barns that endure are treasures. Architectural historians say Iowa barns are kind of like snowflakes, since no two are exactly alike. During the IBF's All-State Barn tour on Sept. 19-20 this fall, the self-guided tours are free and open to the public. These make for a great multi-generational, family weekend adventure. Barns are open for touring 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Bring a friend to the Aug. 17 event at Central School, and share this post!

Address

211 South Center Street
Lake City, IA
51449

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 11:30am
Tuesday 9:30am - 11:30am
Wednesday 9:30am - 11:30am
Thursday 9:30am - 11:30am
Friday 9:30am - 11:30am

Telephone

(712) 464-8639

Website

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