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Description
The Historic Oxford Schoolhouse is open to the public free of charge during open house hours.
Visit the school and talk with a costumed docent about the history of the Oxford School and the surrounding rural area.
Cost
FreeMore Info
https://leawood.org/historic-oxford-schoolhouse/
The Oxford School is one of the oldest schools in the state of Kansas, serving as a schoolhouse from 1877 – 1955. Until 1920, the school was the only one in Oxford Township, providing education for 1st – 8th graders. After 1920, it was converted into an elementary school, and used until its student body became too large during the 1950s. The school weathered enormous change, lasting from Reconstruction into the very different world of the 1950’s. Until as late as 2010, some former students at the Oxford School remained in the Leawood Community.
Oxford School hosted students aged 5 – 20, as it often took several years to complete a grade. At the schoolhouse, visitors can see the age ranges in the changing desk sizes, from small desks for the littlest children to large desks for the young adults. The schoolhouse also keeps 19th century educational texts, such as the McGuffey Reader, and artifacts recovered from the original schoolhouse site, in addition to class photographs from as early as 1894. During visiting hours, a docent is available to answer any questions that you might have about the community, the schoolhouse, and the history of education.
The school was moved from its original location at 135th and Mission Road in March 2003 to its present location in Ironwoods Park. Great care was taken to restore the building to its original beauty with historic accuracy. The Kansas Preservation Alliance selected the Leawood Historic Commission as the recipient of a 2005 Award for Excellence for Preservation Advocacy for their role in preserving the Oxford Schoolhouse.
The Historic Oxford Schoolhouse is conveniently located in nearby south Leawood, next to the Prairie Oak Nature Center inside Ironwoods Park at 147th and Mission Road, Leawood, KS 66224. For more information or to schedule your visit to the Historic Oxford Schoolhouse contact the Cultural Art Supervisor at (913) 663-9157 weekdays 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Please note there is no phone at the schoolhouse. All Historic Oxford Schoolhouse programs and events are coordinated through the Leawood Parks and Recreation Department and the Leawood Historic Commission.
