District 31 Schoolhouse Barn

In 1870, lumber was brought from Nebraska City via "spring wagon" to Ulysses Township and a one-room school house was erected and given the number "31". It was given the name "Leader School". A well was drilled, a windmill was erected and two toilets (a two-holer) was built. This served the community until 1930 when a new, modern building, with a furnace and indoor toilets, was erected. The original building was bought by George L. Smith and moved across the road to be used for a granary. In 1935, James J. and Julia White bought the 1/2 section of land for $20 an acre. They farmed with horses and milked many cows, so a "lean to" was erected on the east side of the building. In 1952, J.J. White added a lean-to on the west side of the barn and a large hay loft on the south end of the building. Wheat and oats were stored in the granary part and had to be scooped in and out by hand. In winter, the oat bin was used to bury the cured hams from the butchering that took place in the fall. We also had a lovely, deep, bricked cellar for storing garden crops, canned food, cream and eggs. On September 15, 2006, a tornado took the west Lean-to and the hay loft all the way to the electrical sub-station on the corner and moved the existing barn about an inch. We had it repaired, minus those two items. We also lost a machine shed and severe damage was done to the Morton building. On June 4, 2008, another tonado went thru Ulysses taking out trees and damaging the house there. By Grace Hoeft 10-24-2011. Location: 16/13/2 Ulysses Township