A village called Monticello was laid out by James Hilldrup and a man simply known as Sanders in 1851 at the present-day corner of West County Road 900-North and North County Road 700-West near Frankton in Madison County1. A log schoolhouse was built on the south side of County Road 900-West at the crossroads the following year.
The school was built of 10-12” square logs, measured 12 x 20 feet in size, and featured two doors and three windows with a fireplace on its eastern end2.
A new, brick schoolhouse was erected on the land of J.C. Montgomery just south of Big Branch by 18803. The log school still stood nearby at least through the 1960s, and its foundation can still be seen today4. In 1886, the schoolhouse, along with the District 4: Cannady school, was “completely wrecked” by a tornado that swept through the area5.
For most of its existence, the school at Monticello was known as Pipe Creek Township’s District 6. Later it was redistricted to become District 56. Along with the Cannady and King schoolhouses, the Monticello school closed by 1920 so its students could attend classes at Frankton’s consolidated school7. That year, all three of the old schoolhouses were placed for sale at public auction.
After the building was purchased, it was converted into a home. It still is today.
Sources Cited
1 Monticello Will Hold Reunion (1939, July 26). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 7.
2 (See footnote 1).
3 Kingman Brothers. (1880). History of Madison County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Chicago, IL.
4 Anniversary of Cyclone (1914, May 12). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 1.
5 Country Schools (1896, September 25). The Elwood Daily Press. p. 1.
6 Notice of Sale of School Property. (July 2, 1921). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 7.
7 For Frankton Building (1921, June 27). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 8.
