It’s surprising that there’s so little information available about Stony Creek Township’s District 3 schoolhouse, commonly known as the Huffman school. Just south of Lapel, it’s a landmark on State Road 13!
Here’s what is known, though: In 1880, a schoolhouse sat on Jasper Huffman’s 114 acre property1. The schoolhouse was named after the land he deeded to Stony Creek Township. Madison County’s geographical information system says the present structure was built in 18992. It exhibits the T-shaped style of many peers from that era, with an entryway flanked with cloakrooms that led to a classroom.Â
The Huffman school was abandoned in 1925 when its students were sent to Lapel. In 1927, the structure and several other abandoned schoolhouses were sold at auction through the township trustee3. Eventually, the building was added on to and converted into a home. If you’re headed from Lapel to Fortville, you can’t possibly miss it!
Sources Cited
1 Kingman Brothers. (1880). History of Madison County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Chicago, IL.McTurnan, L. (1900). Handbook For The Teachers of Madison County. Madison County, Indiana. Anderson, IN.
2 Madison County Office of Information & GIS Services. (2021). Parcel ID: 48-15-03-200-001.000-032 .
3 Five Rural Schools Near Lapel Are Sold (1927, July 15). The Elwood Call-Leader. p. 6
