Central School was a center of learning in Lake City from 1884 to 1980. Designed by architects Foster and Liebee of Des Moines, the brick school originally included four rooms. The west wing, built in 1897, added four more rooms to the school which housed grades 1-12. After Lake City High School was built on a separate campus in 1904, Central School served as a grade school until the building was closed in 1980. Central School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and is managed by Central School Preservation which invites you to explore Lake City’s rich local history.

The building is regularly open from 9:30 to ll:30 am, Monday through Friday, and visits and tours may be arranged at other times. We are proud of our town and its history and are anxious to share this repository of its history and culture. Please contact us if you have any questions.