About Us

Our History

-Our History-
Grand Meadow Heritage Center is the site of District 5 Grand Meadow Township school. Built in 1881, the original one room schoolhouse was built with logs that were floated down the Little Sioux River from Cherokee to Washta.

In 1912, a two story schoolhouse was erected on the school grounds with a high school upstairs and a grade school downstairs.

In 1919, parents in the Grand Meadow Township voted to consolidate the smaller 9 one-room schoolhouses in one school. The cornerstone was laid in 1920 for the large three story brick schoolhouse. The old two story schoolhouse was moved to the Southeast corner of the grounds to be used as a teachers’ residence. By the 1940’s, the school consisted of: the large brick schoolhouse, the teacherage, two homes, a temporary trailer home, a manual training building, and a music building (both quanset huts currently on location). A spacious playground, lunchroom and kitchen had been incorporated.

In 1959, the school reorganized in Marcus. The last students graduated from the Grand Meadow school in 1961. The last pupils attended the school until 1973, when the school officially closed its doors.

-Our Mission-

The Grand Meadow Heritage Center was formed by alumni of the Grand Meadow school and volunteers. The former students didn’t want to see their old school lost in the sands of time. Thus, the Grand Meadow Heritage Center was born. Our mission is to preserve and protect Iowa’s agricultural past for our present and future generations. The heritage center continues to add buildings and exhibits of historical significance to its complex

-What We’re Doing Today-

We host annual events throughout the year that include:

Taste of Grand Meadow- Where beer,wine, and distilled spirits vendors come together to offer their drink selections for sampling and purchase. This event also offers local vendors and crafters to show their products and services!

The Annual Heritage Festival- our biggest event of the year, is held the first weekend after Labor Day. This festival not only opens up all the buildings on grand meadow but also puts on historically accurate demonstrations, products, and entertainment!

Halloween Haunted House- this happens every October, the public joins us for a scare within the two-room school house and basement of the brick schoolhouse! Open the three weekends before Halloween, there are activities for all ages!

-How can you help?-

The Grand Meadow Heritage Center is a non-profit organization. The Heritage Center is maintained through yearly activities and fundraisers, as well as donations from the public. Through your generous support, the Grand Meadow Heritage Center will continue to entertain and educate the generations to come!

Virtual Tours

During the begining of the Covid-19 Crisis, we decided to do a series of virtual tours of the School/ Musuem and attractions  on the Grand Meadow Heritage Center Property. They will all be uploaded to the Virtual Tours page here on the website later next month . You can find them all currently on our Facebook page. Please enjoy.

I love the video tours you are doing! I think my dad (Russ) would have loved to be a part of this. They make me smile! Keep up the great work!

 

- Julie B

Thank you for the shelter that you provided for our flags, it was greatly appreciated by Quimby American Legion Post and Auxiliary. We had a great time -hope to see you next year!

 

- Shirley P. 

We had a GRAND time playing for the crowd at Grand Meadow Heritage Center. The grounds are wonderful and the food is fantastic.

 

- Dawn N.

Thanks for all the support at Grand Meadow Heritage Center today! It’s was an awesome day

 

- Farm Forager 

CURRENT NEWS 2023

Social Sunday Festival

Grand Meadow Heritage Center

SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2023 AT 10 AM – 2 PM

Join us for a fun Sunday with friends and enjoy our classic old-fashioned pan fried chicken dinner, some local shopping, purchase some of our famous banana bread, bring out your classic car, and top it off with some of our home-made ice cream! Plus, we can't forget, live music!

Original or with Walnuts gmhcstore.com

Click here for more Event Details

ANNUAL MEETING

We would like to invite all of our friends, followers, and community to our 2023 annual meeting. This open meeting is to elect new executive board members, discuss the last year, make plans and ideas for the upcoming year, and join together to make the right decisions going forward into the preservation of our grounds and collections.
We would love to everyone that has taken a tour, visited us through an event, volunteered, or has just followed our journey online to come out and join us for this meeting! We want to hear from our community and join together to bring the types of events, presentations, demonstrations, and outreach that our community and friends are looking for!
Without support like yours, Grand Meadow would not be able to achieve the milestones it has in the last few years, we look forward to seeing you on April 2nd! 
For more info

Taste of Grand Meadow- Beer, Wine & Distilled Spirits Festival

April 1st, 2023 11am - 2pm

Join us for a fun afternoon of great drinks, shopping, snacks, food, & more! We will have a variety of breweries, wineries, and distillers providing samples and drink inspirations, small businesses selling their wares, and as usual our great food!
To become a drink vendor please contact Joel Volkert @ 712-898-1059
To become a small business vendor at our events contact Bethany Grell @ 712-229-6037 or at [email protected]
In order to take samples, attendees must be 21 years of age or older.
More information to come! Mark your calendars!
Keep up with Event updates here

46th Heritage Days Festival and Quilt Show Sponsors

Sept 11th 2022

Dale Nafe Memorial Car Show

During the Heritage Festival
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Open Show - All Vehicles Welcome!
More Info

Sept 10th - 11th 2022

Second Annual Heritage Quilt Show

On Display During the Heritage Festival September 10-11,2022

All Quilts Welcome!
Register Your Quilts for $5/Quilt
How To Register:
Call Bethany @ 712-229-6037
or
Message Grand Meadow Heritage Center on Facebook
or
Stop and pick up a registration form at a supporting quilt shop

More Info

MAY 14 TH -MAY 15TH

Taste of Grand Meadow Beer, Wine, & Distilled Spirits

Join us for a fun weekend of local brews, wines, and distilled spirits, local vendor shopping, great food, and live music in the evening! Sunday we're having a great old-fashioned pan-fried chicken dinner with all the fixings, small business vendors, and much more!
More Info

ON GOING

Grand Meadow Membership!

It's a new year, so it's time to renew memberships!
Your membership provides a solid foundation for Grand Meadow to reach their goals in preservation of the grounds, collections, improvements, and expansions. An annual membership keeps you up to date on new fundraisers, events, activities, and so much more!
Become a part of the Grand Meadow Heritage today!
More Info


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