Posted on 07/03/2026 12:43:49 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
RIPON, Wis. — As the United States marks its 250th anniversary this weekend, a one-room schoolhouse in Ripon stands as the birthplace of the Republican Party and a reminder of Wisconsin's place in the nation's political history.
The Little White Schoolhouse, about 60 miles northeast of Madison, commemorates a meeting held March 20, 1854, when opponents of the Kansas-Nebraska Act gathered to organize against the expansion of slavery.
"It was really cold and it was a blizzard," said Ellen Sorensen, the interim executive director of the Little White Schoolhouse.
"It was a three-point objection," Sorensen said. "There was a moral issue, but there was also an economic issue as well as a political issue."
The meeting brought together Whigs, Free Soilers and Democrats who opposed the spread of slavery.
"These people really had disagreements," Sorensen said.
The gathering laid the foundation for what became the Republican Party. Six years later, the party elected Abraham Lincoln as president.
"That is a meteoric rise for a political party," Sorensen said.
Other states, including New Hampshire and Iowa, have also claimed to be the birthplace of the Republican Party. However, the Federal Government designated Ripon as the national historic site because of primary source documents, including newspaper notices announcing the meetings.
Although the Little White Schoolhouse is the original building, it no longer stands on its original site. The structure has been moved six times over the years to its current location.
You are hilarious. You just make shit up as you go to fit your historical fantasy. LOL.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.