Rock County Fairgrounds Buildings
One Room School House
The One Room School House found at the Rock County Fairgrounds is a replica of the original District 1 school house located one mile north of the Iowa Border and two miles south of Ash Creek. The building represents the early days of education. As late as the 1940’s Rock County had over 75 schools which included many one room facilities. Minnesota law stated that no student should have to travel more than three miles to get to school. Many times one teacher taught all eight grades. Each summer there was a graduation service for those finishing eighth grade. Today Rock County has two public schools and one Christian school.
Fitzer Barn
This 100+ year old barn was renovated and donated by the Fitzer family in 2003. The barn resided on the Fitzer farm in Luverne township until 2002. It is now located at the Rock County Fairgrounds in Luverne. It features artifacts and displays of the early days of farming in Rock County. The barn has many working exhibits that provide a hint of life on the farm throughout the 20th century. An extensive blacksmith shop is included among the barn’s exhibits.
Originally the barn was used for horses, cattle, and milking cows. There were two rows of stalls, which housed 14 horses. Each stall was large enough for two horses. The barn also had a trip rope, which was used to move the hay in the hayloft, as well as to train the horses to wear harnesses. One end of the barn was used for milking cows. On top of the barn was the cupola, which was the ventilation system that helped keep the barn cool in the hot summer months.
Summer Kitchen
The Summer Kitchen was moved to the Fairgrounds in 2009. But what exactly is a summer kitchen?
In the early 1900s, many families built a small structure separate from their home called a “summer kitchen.” Its main purpose was to keep heat out of the house during the hot summer months. Cooking over a large stove could quickly warm the main house, so moving those tasks to a separate building helped keep living spaces cooler.
Summer kitchens were used for cooking, baking, bathing, and doing laundry. They typically included a large cookstove with an oven and a sturdy worktable. Families also used them for canning and preserving garden produce, as well as for cleaning, mending, sewing curtains, weaving, and other household projects.
As air-conditioned homes and outdoor grills became more common and affordable, summer kitchens were no longer necessary and gradually disappeared from everyday use.
Ordung Building
The Ordung Building was constructed in 2011 with funds donated to the Rock County Historical Society by Allison Ordung to help preserve our agricultural heritage.
The building displays hand tools and machinery used by early settlers to farm the surrounding land. Inside, you will find farming equipment, hand tools, and business equipment that was powered by horses or steam.
The Ordung Building also houses two early fire engines built by Luverne Fire Apparatus. A 1948 Luverne fire engine was donated by the Beaver Creek Fire Department, and a 1927 Luverne fire engine was donated by the Luverne Fire Department. Both engines remain in working condition and can still be seen in local parades and at special events.
