In the early 1880s, Christopher Higley donated a piece of his farm land so that his wife's family, the Humkes, could build a new school for the area. In 1883, Charles Ferdinand Humke saw the vision through and by the next year class had begun. Due to local school consolidations, the school closed in 1966 and two years later was sold by the Dubuque Community School District to the Dubuque County Historical Society. In 1969 the society moved the school to their Mathias Ham House location and restored it. As of 2024 the school is operated as a museum and is open to the public by appointment.
Photo credit: Taken by Glenn E. Chatfield in April 2011 and uploaded to he and his wife's Blogspot blog, Iowa One Room Schools.
| Official School Name | Center No. 4 |
|---|---|
| Parochial School Name | Humke School |
| When Built | 1883 |
| When Closed | 1966 |
| Current Use | Museum |
| Materials Used For Construction |
