Oak Grove highlights new additions and plans

During an open house event at the historic Oak Grove Schoolhouse, attendees learned of new features that future visitors to the site can utilize.

Oak Grove School was originally built in 1868 as a log cabin along the Osage Trail. Later it was rebuilt as a sandstone schoolhouse in 1877. Today, it stands restored after many years of work, preparing to become an educational field trip destination for regional schools.

David Oas, public relations ofÏcer for the Oak Grove School Historical Society, discussed the history of the land, highlighting its significance to the Osage and early pioneers.

Oas noted that nearby Trotter’s Ford, as well as other similar fords, were important crossing points for military groups, commerce and trade, early pioneers, and Native Americans — particularly the Osage. Most notably, Trotter’s Ford was traveled by Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family during their journey from Independence, Kansas.

“These ford-to-ford trails were just vital,” Oas said.

Oas also highlighted standing plaques which will eventually be placed around the site for visitors to use and learn about the history of Oak Grove. Oas said the plaques will feature buttons with recordings and will be powered by solar panels.

Oak Grove Historical Society President Roger Pruitt said these new plaques will help meet the needs of the few visitors who stop by each month to visit the site.

Along with the plaques, Oak Grove has a new website, which includes a series of time capsule videos for all ages. These videos will tie into the plaques around the site via QR code. The website also includes a list of novels for students in the fourth and fifth grades, puzzles, and fun facts about the state. It also features educational resources for teachers and families to teach young learners about the Osage people, early Kansas settlers, and Civil War-era Kansas, 19th-century education, agriculture and industry in Kansas, and local wildlife, such as birds.

Further improvements are planned before the site becomes a field trip destination, and will come in phases. 

Phase one improvements include a covered pavilion which will be built south of the schoolhouse. Eventually, this pavilion will house the school’s original bell, which is currently housed at the Parsons Historical Museum.

It’ll be the exact same footprint as the building right here,” Oas said.

This phase of improvements also includes a restroom facility, with attached storage and a storm shelter, as well as ensuring the school is wheelchair accessible. These improvements would allow the site to host school groups and events.

The goal is to have the site ready to host students next fall, in honor of the school’s 150th anniversary, according to Pruitt.

As has been previously reported, the idea is that during their day at Oak Grove, students will participate in bucket races, scavenger hunts, and learn about what Kansas Schools looked like in the early days of the state’s history.

The historical society hopes that soon they will be able to have regular open hours to accommodate public visitors one or two days per week, and noted they would maintain free admission for all visitors.

Phase two improvements include building a separate visitors center, further south, which will have information about the site, resources for historical research, and a small museum complex with artifacts.

During the open house, Oas and Pruitt highlighted ongoing partnerships with the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center at Greenbush, the Kansas State Historical Society, Osage Nation, Southeast Kansas Museum Alliance, the Parsons Area Community Foundation, and other area museums. They also announced that Oak Grove has been accepted as a partner into the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area program.

“That’s really exciting to have that,” Oas said.

Pruitt says he hopes to develop a GPS-guided tour through the Freedom’s Frontier program for the Osage Trail to highlight not only Oak Grove Schoolhouse, but many other historical sites in the area along the trail, which is prominent in Southeast Kansas.

During the event, some former Oak Grove students visited, including Wes Cosby Jr., who said he enjoyed his time seeing the school. He sat with Ronnie Curtis on the Oak Grove stage. Curtis has been a long-time supporter of the Oak Grove Historical Society. Of the plans to make it a field-trip destination, Cosby said it’s a good idea.

“I think it’s great. The community needs something like that,” Cosby said.

Curtis quipped that students will be able to say they attended a one-room schoolhouse like Cosby did.

Pruitt said the open house had a good turnout, with several dozen visiting the school throughout the afternoon.

“So many people came who haven’t been here before,” Pruitt noted. “The word is getting out; more people are learning about the school and the blessing it is going to be to school children and families here in the Southeast Kansas Region.

Pruitt said the historical society should learn soon if it’s been approved for a Kansas Tourism Attraction Development Grant through the Department of Commerce. Pruitt said there is a lot of competition, and the historical society members are keeping their fingers crossed.

“There is a lot of history here that just gets forgotten about. What we’re trying to do is bring it back to life and give children the opportunity to gain an appreciation for the history that is here, so that they’ll be more enthused about that history and wanting to protect it,” Pruitt said.

To learn more about Oak Grove’s current and ongoing improvements, or to access educational resources, visit historicoakgroveschool.com.