After being moved from Russell County to Hays for permanent restoration, the Plymouth Schoolhouse is now a major attraction on the Fort Hays State University campus. The Fort Hays State University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa completed the project in 1979.

The idea to restore and relocate the then 101-year-old building came in 1975 at a Phi Delta Kappa leadership conference. Two years after that idea was formed and the project began under the direction of Chapter President Allan Miller.

With more than 200 people ready to help and the financial assistance of the Garvey Foundation, a dismantling process, formulated by Ann Gustad, took off. Three thousand individual stones were marked, loaded onto a truck and hauled to the FHSU campus. With some professional assistance in the restoration process, the building was erected using most of its original materials. It was officially dedicated on Sept. 22, 1979.

Visitors to the schoolhouse can expect to find many different artifacts that add to the originality of the site. Four rows of wood and wrought-iron desks, an easel filled with maps and an original pot-bellied stove line the interior of the historical building. In addition, people can view an enhanced media presentation titled "Education: Our Heritage on the Great Plains."

Futhermore, after Philip Frederick Anschutz and Sue Anschutz-Rogers gave FHSU a gift of $300,000 in memory of their mother who was an FHSU alumna, the first endowed chair at FHSU was established. Dr. Paul Adams, FHSU associate professor of physics was recently named the first Marian Pfister Anschutz Endowed Professor in Education. One of the details of this position will be to oversee the continued effective use of the schoolhouse for educational purposes on campus.

The building is located across the street from Tomanek Hall and attracts more than 1,000 visitors each year. Anyone interested in a tour of the Plymouth Schoolhouse can contact Dr. Paul Adams at 785.628.4204.