The historic birthplace of the nationally-recognized 4-H emblem will soon be making a move. The 4-H School Museum is now located in Gazebo Park in Clarion.
The sturdy white school house will be moved across town and placed beside the Heartland Museum. Melody Lager, with the Heartland Museum, says the school house museum needs a better location.
“It hasn’t been utilized very much where it sits right now,” Lager says. “It’s kind of hard to get to parking, etcetera, so this year we were able to get with the city and using motel/hotel tax money and some city effort and effort on our part, we are going to make this move happen.” The 4-H logo was created in Wright County in 1907 by O.H. Benson, the Wright County school superintendent at the time. The 4-H museum is inside what was once School House #6 in the Lake Township and it’s been in the park since 1952.
“It’s filled with 4H memorabilia,” Lager say, “4H uniforms, articles, news clippings, pictures, and it also has the old school desks, the old school heater, the organ, the teacher’s desk and a lot of books.” To prepare for the move, a large rock, a flag pole and a tree had to be removed, and some utility wires will need to be lifted.
Lager says the move should take place within the next month, but a date isn’t yet set. The 4-H School Museum will open in its new location next May.
(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)