Ripon’s Little White Schoolhouse returns to the National Register of Historic Places

The building known as the birthplace of the Republican Party has once again been added to the National Register of Historic Places, the Ripon Chamber of Commerce announced Friday.

The Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon moved to a new location last year, marking the sixth time the building has moved in its history. That forced the chamber, which owns the schoolhouse, to submit new applications to the state and national registers of historic places.

The state application was approved in May, and the national application was approved this week.

“Preserving our past is essential to understanding our present and shaping our future,” said Mandy Kimes, executive director of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. “We believe the Little White Schoolhouse is a centerpiece of Ripon’s history and heritage and can’t wait to welcome many visitors for years to come.”

The one-room schoolhouse hosted a meeting in 1854 that led to the creation of the Republican Party. It’s been preserved as a museum dedicated to telling the story of how a major political party formed in a small Wisconsin town.

The Little White Schoolhouse was originally added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Moving the building angered some local Republicans, but the chamber has said the move will help preserve the museum for future generations.

That’s because the new location provides better accessibility for bus parking. Kimes told WPR earlier this month the chamber is currently fundraising to convert a former bank on the property into a visitor center.