Historic Oak Grove Schoolhouse (1877)

Location

The Oak Grove Schoolhouse is located in rural Lincoln Township, Neosho County, Kansas, four miles north and five and one-half miles east of Parsons, and about eight miles south of St. Paul.

Brief History

Prior to the Civil War, this area was occupied by the Osage, with the town of St. Paul being known at that time as Osage Mission. In September 1865, the Osage signed a treaty with the U.S. government, ceding their lands in the Neosho River valley and moving to a new reservation southwest of Independence. Shortly thereafter the vacated lands surrounding the Neosho River were opened to pioneer settlement.

Erected in 1877, the Oak Grove School was built from native sandstone, quarried just a short distance from the school site. Truly a “little house on the prairie”, this one-room schoolhouse served as a school, a church, and as a local community gathering place for the residents of rural Lincoln Township until the early 1960’s.

Adjacent Cemetery

Adjacent to the school is the Oak Grove Cemetery. The cemetery was founded just prior to the building of the school. Buried here are many who were original pioneer settlers on the Kansas prairie, several of whom were also veterans of the Civil War. Many of those who either attended or taught at the school over the years are buried in the cemetery, as well as the original land owners who donated the land upon which the school and cemetery reside.

Pod Cast by Uncovering Kansas

A Pod Cast has been published by “Uncovering Kansas” called Oak Grove School and the History of the Osage Trail.

Parsons – Giving Tuesday

The Oak Grove Endowed Fund is a proud member of the Parsons Area Community Foundation.

Little House on the Prairie

Last year we held an open house (in October 2022) when actress Wendi Lou Lee from “Little House on the Prairie’ visited Oak Grove. Wendi also visited several elementary schools in the area at that time to share with them the plans for this special field trip program. Area school teachers and administrators received this news with excitement and expressed eager anticipation of the day when they can participate in this special Oak Grove experience.