Roosevelt Elementary School, also NRHP-listed
Roosevelt Elementary School is a school building in Waterloo, Iowa, designed in the Gothic Revival style and constructed during 1921-1922. The structure features pointed windows, tall openings for natural light, and decorative stonework designed by architect Mortimer B. Cleveland, with an expansion added in 1954 to accommodate additional students and activities.
The school building was constructed in 1921-1922 during the early development of public education in the area, then expanded in 1954 to meet growing community needs. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, recognizing its importance as a surviving example of early 20th-century school architecture and educational history.
The school became a gathering place that shaped community identity beyond its classroom function, offering residents a shared educational resource. Its library served as a quiet space where local residents could read and learn, helping to connect neighbors and support the neighborhood's intellectual development over many decades.
The school is located in a calm residential neighborhood in Waterloo, easily recognized by its brick exterior and traditional design among other historic structures. The area is walkable, and visitors can examine the building's early 20th-century architectural details from the exterior and surrounding streets without obstruction.
The building was over eighty years old when it was added to the National Register in 2004, demonstrating the rare longevity of a functioning school structure from the 1920s. Its preservation with most original features intact allows visitors a direct glimpse into how early American schools actually appeared and operated without modern modifications.
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