Biographical Info

Constructed in 1869, the Little Red Schoolhouse is one of the oldest buildings in Hammond. Notice the difference in the lower and upper halves of the wall. Builders started with limestone but transporting the stone proved too expensive and midway through construction a clay pit was found at the nearby Little Calumet River.

Although no longer used as a school after 1896, the building remained a focal point for the community, serving as headquarters for William Jennings Bryan’s 1896 Presidential campaign, a dancehall, a place of worship, a funeral parlor, a community meeting hall and a private residence. The Hessville Historical Society purchased the sturdy building in 1971 for a mere dollar and The Little Red Schoolhouse reopened as a museum and community center.
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