08/06/2026
On February 24, we walked into the school and sat across the table from the Washington Township School Advisory Board. For years, they had been the caretakers of this place. That evening, they shared why they had fought so hard to preserve it and why this building mattered to them.
Then it was our turn.
We shared why we loved the school, the vision we had for its future, and our hope that it could continue to be a place where the community gathers.
One by one, they smiled and told us what they loved about the vision.
“What sold it for me was imagining people walking the halls during cocktail hour, admiring the history.”
“I’m just happy someone wants to keep the school standing and continue sharing it with the community.”
And then, in the best kind of small-town Iowa fashion, we made a verbal handshake agreement. They had faithfully cared for the story of this school. Now they were trusting us to carry it forward.
Last week marked the final meeting of the Washington Township School Advisory Board. To the people who intentionally preserved not just a building, but the memories, history, and heart of this place, thank you.
Thank you for believing this school was worth saving. Thank you for trusting us with its next chapter. We don’t see it as our job to create a legacy here. We believe the legacy already exists. Our job is simply to steward it well, honor the generations who came before us, and adapt this incredible place so its story can continue.
Here’s to those who cared for it before us, and to doing everything we can to care for it well next.
