FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2023
CONTACT: Mandy Kimes 920-748-6764 office 920-896-5707 chamber cell or mandy@ripon-wi.com
LITTLE WHITE SCHOOLHOUSE SET TO MOVE THE WEEK OF APRIL 17TH, 2023
Birthplace of the Republican Party
Ripon, Wis - The Chamber of Commerce announced back in October its plans to move the Little White Schoolhouse and with spring arriving in Wisconsin, the time to move has come!
This isn’t the first time the Little White Schoolhouse has moved. It was first located on the triangle of Blackburn, Thorne, and East Fond du Lac Streets, where it served as a schoolhouse until 1860. When the school outgrew the building it was remodeled to be a private home. In 1908 it was moved to Ripon College, where it occupied three different locations. The building then moved to its current location on Blackburn Street in 1951.
Preparation for the move is underway with plans to relocate the building the week of April 17th. It will take an impressive feat of coordination and engineering to move the 170 year old building including the temporary relocation of power, cable and telephone lines as well as police escorts to help control traffic.
The Schoolhouse will travel north down Blackburn Street and turn west to 1074 W Fond Du Lac Street where it will be placed on its new foundation.
According to our research, plat maps, directories and the census from that time show the land at 1074 W Fond Du Lac Street as once owned by the William Dunham family, which has intriguing historical significance.
The historic meeting that led to the formation of the Republican Party took place on March, 20th 1854. Although there isn't a formal list of those who attended the meeting, as no individual roll call was taken, there is a sheet with the names of individuals compiled by Reverend Samuel T. Kidder, pastor of the First Congregational Church in Ripon, and Samuel M. Pedrick in 1900.
According to Pedrick who was a respected attorney, historian, and published author as well as one of the founding members of the Ripon Historical Society, Mr. William Dunham was a meeting attendee during the founding of the Republican Party! We look forward to learning more about the Dunham family, their former farmland, and their property, in the very near future.
“This process is a great example of how preservation and progress can work together and reminds us of Ripon’s unique history that guides and inspires our future.
From idealistic dreamers to entrepreneurial pragmatists, Ripon has always been known for its innovative spirit and active citizenship. As a Midwest frontier village, the junction of 5 main roads made Ripon a great place for a booming economy and that same spark lives on today,” said Executive Director of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce, Mandy Kimes.
We are thankful and honored to continue the preservation efforts of this important piece of history. “It was in 1902 that Samuel Pedrick led the charge to preserve the Little White Schoolhouse. He felt strongly that the Schoolhouse, as “Birthplace of the Republican Party,” was essential to understanding and appreciating Ripon’s heritage and special character.”
Pedrick organized citizens and businesses in town to acquire and restore the Schoolhouse and the community came together to support the project. We couldn’t agree more with Samuel Pedrick and we look forward to involving the community in this next chapter of the Little White Schoolhouse.
This move is a great opportunity to increase visibility and expand all that the Little White Schoolhouse has to offer. The property will allow for the Schoolhouse to sit further back from the road and allows us to create a visitor center. The property expands back into a wooded area and will truly enhance and expand all that the Museum offers while maintaining the integrity of the building and the original historical landscape. The parking lot will allow for easy parking for cars and buses.
“The possibilities are endless,” Kimes adds. “This will reignite the Little White Schoolhouse as a tourist attraction for Ripon just in time for the 170th anniversary of that eventful meeting on March 20th, 1854. Not to mention the proximity of Ripon to Milwaukee, which will host the 2024 Republican National Convention. This move is going to be so good for our local community.
When speaking about the Little White Schoolhouse, Dr. William Wooley, Ripon College History Professor Emeritus explained, …”Ripon is special because we have a special story, it’s not a story about a national political party, it’s a story about a group of people who seeing a great wrong in their nation, decided to get together and do something about it…they succeeded and changed history. My mind is it’s the best story any little town in the country could have…”
The Chamber of Commerce looks forward to keeping Ripon’s “special story” alive and the expansion possibilities that this new property will provide!
The Little White Schoolhouse looks forward to opening in time for the season depending on the coordination of the move. The Little White Schoolhouse is open on weekends May ~ October and is open daily from Memorial Day until Labor Day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sources:
Quotes taken from the booklet titled, “A History of Ripon’s Little White Schoolhouse Birthplace of the Republican Party.” by William J. Woolley
Quotes taken from the video titled, “The Founding of the Republican Party Ripon, Wisconsin.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cziuN11VRXI