Belden School
1859-1943
A SMALL SCHOOL THAT TAUGHT LARGE LESSONS
Just a short walk up Old Stage Line Trail, Belden School sits in the Greenspace "common property" in The Galena Territory. Built in 1859, the one-room schoolhouse served the area’s school children until 1943. From then it sat silent in the woods until 2009 when it was restored and reopened.Today the Belden School offers a historic and lively look into schooldays of yesteryear. Students of all ages can experience the schoolhouse and its programs on chosen Saturdays and at special events June through October. Docents are available to explain the past, present and future of this historically restored one-room limestone schoolhouse.
The school was named after Thomas Belden, an early settler and a school trustee. The structure is located on a thickly wooded hillside flanked by a steep gully on the downhill side. Classes were held in 1943 when small school districts consolidated.
Admission is always free!
Belden School Open House Events
First and Third Saturday - June through October - from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Click for a Timeline of Belden School (1858-present)
| 1858 | One square acre of land in southwest Guilford Township in Jo Daviess County was purchased for $30 by school trustees of the Town of Guilford. | |
| 1859 | Belden School was built of native limestone at a cost of $900. The school was named after Thomas Beldin (1799-1859), an early settler in the area who also served as a school trustee. | |
| 1860 | Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. Ulysses S. Grant and Elihu B. Washburne were citizens of Galena. A teacher's salary was $6 per month. | |
| 1880 | A law was passed in Illinois requiring schoolhouses to have outhouses, so two were built at a cost of $17 each. The boys' outhouse was in the front of the building and the girls' outhouse was in the back. | |
| 1926 | Belden originally had only one door. In 1926 it became law that schoolhouses had to have another exit door. A new fire door replaced a window on the side of the building. | |
| 1943 | Small school districts began consolidation and the last classes were held at Belden School. | |
| 1955 | The schoolhouse and one square acre of land were sold at auction for $25. | |
| 1974 | The Branigar Organization acquired the school property, surrounding lands and many farms to begin development of The Galena Territory. | |
| 1992 | The land and schoolhouse were transferred to The Galena Territory Association on July 30, 1992. | |
| 2004 | A group of Territory residents interested in restoring the building formed The Belden School Restoration Committee. A comprehensive five-year plan was implemented. Through donations, fundraising and grants from the Galena Belle Questers and The Galena Foundation, Belden School was brought to life. | |
| 2005 | Electric service was brought to the building. | |
| 2006 | The exterior limestone was tuck-pointed. | |
| 2007 | Donated items, including desks, a stove and books were acquired. A cabinet, original to the school, was returned to the corner of the classroom. | |
| 2008 | A new roof and historically accurate windows and doors were installed. | |
| 2009 | Restoration of Belden School was complete and opened to the public. |
Belden School Commission
The original 2009 Belden School Preservation Committee. They are, front row, left to right, Joyce Mondala, and Linda Neissner. Second row, Maureen Fletcher, Vicky Gehling, and Dee Carlson. Third row, Sandy Clark, Madelynn Voorhees, and Ginger Bartot. Standing, Toni Klingler, and Pat Harte-Naus.
Belden School Preservation Commission is growing. We welcome men and women of The Galena Territory to join us.
The Mission of the Belden School Preservation Commission is to recognize and promote Belden School through preservation of the structure and its environs for the benefit and education of future generations.Special Thank you When local historian Bob Kleckner (1929-2011) rescued old journals from one-room schoolhouses in the area, little did he know that two of those journals would one day provide to a group interested in finding out more about little abandoned Belden School hidden in The Galena Territory.
Find Us: Belden School
Open the first and third Saturday,
June through October
10 a.m. - Noon
52 Heatherdowns Lane in The Galena Territory
Galena, IL 61036
[email protected]
815-777-2000
June through October
10 a.m. - Noon
52 Heatherdowns Lane in The Galena Territory
Galena, IL 61036
[email protected]
815-777-2000
