Visiting Forest Grove Schoolhouse No. 5: A Bettendorf Piece of Iowa History

Tucked away in Bettendorf, Iowa, Forest Grove Schoolhouse No. 5 is one of those places you might drive past a hundred times without knowing what’s behind the doors. I recently made an appointment to tour the restored one-room schoolhouse, and it’s a stop worth adding to your Iowa road trip list — as long as you plan ahead.

Before You Go: Know the Hours

Here’s the first thing to know: Forest Grove doesn’t operate like a typical museum with daily posted hours. It’s entirely run by volunteers, and while they do have recurring weekend hours, those are only during the summer months. Outside of that window — or if you want to be sure someone’s there — your best bet is to call ahead and set up an appointment, which is what I did.

Tip: Check the Forest Grove School Preservation website or their Facebook page before heading out, since hours and open events can shift year to year depending on volunteer availability.

Start With the Video

Before you even step inside, make time for the roughly 10-minute introductory video they show visitors. It’s genuinely worth it — it covers the renovation project itself, but the highlight is hearing from former students who attended the one-room schoolhouse describing what it was actually like to learn there. It’s a great way to frame everything you’re about to see in person.

What You’ll See Inside

Walking into the schoolhouse feels like stepping back into the early 1900s. What stood out most to me was the sheer craftsmanship that’s gone into the restoration — this is a genuinely beautiful building, and the attention to detail is obvious everywhere you look. The building has been meticulously brought back to life since preservation efforts began in 2012:

• A rebuilt foundation, cedar shake roof, and restored furnace
• Eight replica windows and a custom front door built by a local Illinois millworker
• A replica bell tower added in 2016 — and it still houses the school’s original bell

One small detail I loved: the sidewalk leading up to the building is lined with blocks etched with the names of donors who helped make the restoration possible — a nice touch that ties the community’s support directly into the walk up to the door. One paver reads simply, “Father attended, Mother taught here” — a small line that says a lot about how personal this project is to the families who grew up around Forest Grove.

Knowing the history makes the details hit differently. The school was originally built in 1873 for about $1,500, and it served rural students ages 5 to 14 for nearly 85 years before closing in 1957. Standing inside, you can picture the roughly 30 kids who once walked up to two miles to get there, books in hand, for lessons in math, reading, spelling, and geography.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

• Call ahead: Since it’s volunteer-run, don’t assume you can just show up — an appointment or checking for a scheduled open house is the way to go.
• Summer weekends: If you want a shot at regular open hours without scheduling anything, aim for summer.
• It’s a preservation project, not a staffed attraction: The volunteers are passionate about the schoolhouse’s history, so if you get a chance to chat with them during your visit, take it.
• Support the cause: The organization runs entirely on donations and has raised over $200,000 toward restoration — worth considering if you enjoyed your visit.

Why It’s Worth the Stop

Forest Grove Schoolhouse No. 5 isn’t a big attraction, and that’s part of the charm. It’s a quiet, well-preserved piece of rural Iowa education history, kept alive by people who clearly care about it. If you’re mapping out a day trip through the Quad Cities area, it’s a small but memorable detour — just remember to call first.