Washington Township’s first purpose-built schoolhouse was constructed in 1839. Another near what later became the community of Wheeling followed the next year. A primitive affair, the building featured notched logs slathered with mud above simple, puncheon floors. Wheeling’s Methodist congregation met there until about 1871¹.

That year, the town’s Odd Fellows’ organization added a second story to the schoolhouse in order to accommodate their meetings². The present building was erected in 1891 to accommodate grades 1-8.

A tornado significantly damaged the schoolhouse in 1922³. Despite the damage, classes continued to be held through the 1924-25 school year. The Wheeling schoolhouse was the last of Washington Township’s rural schools to consolidate into Gaston, and Carl Hedgeland served as its final teacher4.

After its closure, the old schoolhouse was remodeled into a home. Later, it was used as a barn⁵. Today, its one of the few landmarks that dot the hamlet of Wheeling.

Sources Cited
1 Kemper, G. W. H. (1908). Education in Delaware County. In A Twentieth Century History of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume 1. Lewis Publishing Company. Book.
2 Helm, T. B. (1881). Mount Pleasant Township. In History of Delaware County, Indiana: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Kingman Bros. Book.
3 Property in and Near Wheeling Damaged by Tornado That Swept Northwest Part of County. (1922, April 19). The Muncie Morning Star. p. 1. 
4 Delaware County Public Schools. (1924). School directory, Delaware County public schools, Delaware County, Indiana 1924-1925. Muncie, IN. 
5 Careins, R (2021, August 6). Lost Muncie. Pupils posing in front of the Wheeling School, Wheeling Indiana, Washington Township, Delaware County Indiana. This school building still stands [Comment]. Facebook.