Des Moines No. 7

Red brick schoolhouse
Dilapidated red brick school

The Cole school (Des Moines No. 7) was built in 1888. Due to low enrollment caused by mass migration to cities, the school closed in 1933. In 1948 it was sold to a former teacher who used it as a storage building for farm equipment. Some time later, the DeShon Chapter DAR bought the school noting its historical significance and state of disrepair. Their renovation project finished in 2015 and on July 12, 2019, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. As of 2024, the Cole School remains open to the public and operates as a museum on its original plot under the management of the DeShon Chapter DAR.  Photo credit: Both photos were originally uploaded to the Daughters of the American Revolution's website by the DeShon Chapter circa 2015.

Official School Name
Des Moines No. 7
Parochial School Name
Cole School
County
Boone
When Built
1888
When Closed
1933
Construction Materials
Brick
Current Use
Museum
Open to the Public
No
Silos and Smokestacks Member
No