The schoolhouse was built in 1901 in Porter Township, four miles north of Fullerton. Grades one through eight were taught at the Rosebud School. The building is twenty feet wide and thirty-six feet long. This is larger than most of the country schools that were being built at the time. Including an outhouse and a small barn the total cost of construction was $864.
In 1925 a basement and entry were added and a new furnace was installed. Folding doors were added in the center of the building. This allowed dividing the large central room into two rooms when needed.
As roads and modes of transportation improved in the region it became more practical to centralize the education of the children. Beginning in 1936 all of the students of the Rosebud School area were taught at the school in Fullerton. In the following years the building continued to be used for a variety of events including: Club meetings, elections, coordination of hunts, parties and dances.
In 1998 Porter township donated the building to be used as a museum in Fullerton. In 1999 the schoolhouse was moved to its current double lot location in the center of Fullerton. The majority of the funding for the restoration and renovation project was provided by alumni of the Rosebud and Fullerton schools.
The country school section of the museum contains items from the original school including the restored student and teacher’s desks. Other sections include: An area dedicated to the people who served in the armed forces; pictures, documents, newspapers, maps and merchant coins from the early days of Fullerton and the surrounding community; trophies and class pictures from the Fullerton School; the Fullerton Centennial Quilt; a special bird taxidermy display from the late 1800’s; and much more.
Upkeep for the museum is supported by donations and the sale of Fullerton memorial afghans. These afghans are available for purchase in the “Shop” section of this website.
