History

Russett Articles from Madill Record – May 8, 1952
-courtesy of Larry Wilcox

Updated July 19, 2003 11:32 PM

Russett School Thrives Although Town Is Gone
Russett at one time was a town without much of a school. Now it is a school without much of a town. There was a time when Russett was located on a branch of the Rock Island railroad. It had a depot, post office, store, gin, and was quite an active village. But along came good roads and automobiles, and Russett, like other small towns, began to dwindle.

The crowing blow came when the Rock Island railroad was abandoned, and the tracks taken up. The final death of Russett was recorded—all except the school.

The old schoolhouse had been operated on the south side of the railroad—and south of the present Highway 70. When consolidation of schools came along, however, three other schools were joined with Russett and the four made a sizeable school.

The modern brick building was constructed at the present site, on the north side of the highway and the school has been operating quite successfully ever since. Now Russett has no postoffice, no stores, no depot, and very few houses, even. But it does have a good school. Two buses, covering about 30 miles a day each, bring in the students.