Maple River No. 5

The Maple River No. 5 school was built in 1871 just west of Carroll, Iowa. From the time it opened until at least 1946 it served as a voting booth as well as a school. It originally sat facing the south, but when Highway 30 was built, it was shifted to face the east. In 1965 a group of local clubs helped buy the building for $150, move it into Graham Park in Carroll, and restore it by rebuilding the chimney, adding a new foundation, adding new siding, and most noticeably, painting over the remaining white paint with red. After this it became known as the "Little Red Schoolhouse." In the 1990s it was commonly open in the warmer months for classes on Iowa history. As of 2024 it still resides in Graham Park and is owned by the Carroll County Historical Society.

Photo credits: originally uploaded to Facebook by the Carroll County Historical Society.