Mount Pleasant Community School District eighth grade students in Mrs. Mullin’s class recently stepped outside the classroom to explore local history firsthand in Mount Pleasant.
The students toured several historic sites, including the Harlan-Lincoln House, Pioneer Hall, Old Main, and statues honoring Belle Babb Mansfield and Senator James Harlan. The visit focused on how local Iowans have shaped education, government, and the broader community.
During the tour, students learned that some classrooms in the area have been used for nearly 170 consecutive years. They also heard about the destruction and rebuilding of Old Main, the founding of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, and the many contributions of James Harlan, who served as Secretary of the Interior under President Abraham Lincoln.
One highlight for students was discovering the close connection between the Harlan and Lincoln families. Robert Todd Lincoln, the president’s son, married Harlan’s daughter, Mary, and the couple’s children often spent summers in Mount Pleasant.
Students described the experience as eye-opening, gaining a deeper appreciation for the rich history located just blocks from their own middle school.