Traxler honored for schoolhouse contribution

Among the buildings along South Plut Avenue at the Le Sueur County Fairgrounds in Le Center, Minn., lies a small building nestled between the other structures that keeps a piece of yesteryear alive — District #75 Schoolhouse. The building is a wood, oneroom schoolhouse, which was typical for the area at the time.

In times where transportation and general life were not as easy nor as fast paced, schoolhouses, like the one on the fairgrounds, dotted the county every couple of miles. A total of 115 schoolhouses once occupied Le Sueur County. These typically one-room schoolhouses were within walking distance for their pupils, and there was just one teacher usually in each of them.

They are a thing of the past now, but they live on mostly where a historical society somewhere has been able to find support to preserve what life was once like in the area, such as Le Sueur County Historical Society (LSCHS) was able to do with the help of the community.

LSCHS has redone the aging schoolhouse, inside and out. Margaret Traxler was one of the major donors who stepped up to help, donating $40,000 to help pay for a new wooden roof for the schoolhouse.

Traxler was honored for her contribution to repair the building with a plaque on the schoolhouse at a ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 20.

“It’s because of the generosity of people like Margaret that the society is able to do these special projects,” said LSCHS Board Member Dean Pettis. “We want future generations to know about her love for Le Sueur County history and education.”

The last class of students for the District #75 Schoolhouse exited in 1943, the schoolhouse was then moved to....

To see more on this story pickup the November 7, 2024 print edition of the LifeEnterprise and October 31, 2024 of the Montgomery Messenger.