Jimmie Wyneburgh was the trustee of Franklin Township when John Wesler1 built its District 7 schoolhouse in 18762. Seventeen years later, the building stood at the northwest corner of Cart and Inke Roads across from William Wesler’s land3.
Around 1900, a leaky roof prompted local officials to mount the schoolhouse bell on a detached structure. Without much choice, the trustee repurposed a windmill tower into the building’s new belfry4! The renovated Wesler school was still open through 19185, but I suspect it was shuttered around 1921 when a consolidated school was built four miles away at Whitewater.
After the building closed, Frank Hibbler bought the schoolhouse and remodeled it into a two-story home. The original schoolroom was divided into a living room, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Three rooms were added upstairs. Later, Preston Thomas purchased the building and added a front porch and siding6.
Today, the old District 7: Wesler schoolhouse still serves as a home.
Sources Cited
1 Four Of Wesler School’s Teachers Are Still Living (1973, May 11). The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 14.
2 Records Show First Whitewater Teacher for ’18 Term A Quaker (1955, November 10). The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 24.
3 The county of Wayne, Indiana, an imperial atlas and art folio (1893). Rerick Bros. [Richmond]. Map.
4 Recollections Of Teacher At Wesler School Are Told (1973, May 1). The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 4.
5 Whitewater (1918, March 6). The Richmond Item. p. 3.
6 Wesler School Still Stands But As Remodeled Dwelling (1973, April 24). The Richmond Palladium-Item. p. 3.
The transformation of the Wesler District 7 schoolhouse from a leaky-roofed educational institution to a renovated home is a fascinating example of adaptive reuse in local history. Jimmie Wyneburgh’s decision to repurpose a windmill tower as a belfry reflects practicality and resourcefulness. Today, as a private residence, it continues to stand as a testament to community heritage and resilience in Franklin Township.
For sure!