A northeast Iowa landmark is coming down.

For nearly a century, the original three-story wing of Dunkerton Community School has been a prominent fixture on the south side of the community. It's the most-recognizable building in town.

Soon, the iconic structure will be part of history.

Demolition of the 97-year-old Dunkerton School wing -- erected in 1921 -- got underway on Monday (June 4, 2018). Crews began tearing down the building to make room for a new, modern wing that will better serve the district's future needs.

Last September, voters approved a $6 million referendum to finance the entire project. Demolition of the century-old edifice is expected to be finished by mid-August, before students return from summer break.

After the original structure is razed, a new 24,000-square-foot addition will be built on the same spot to replace it. Construction on the new, two-story section of the school is expected to be done by December, 2019.

During the demolition project, crews plan to preserve historical parts of the old building. They are working to remove several items from the facade, including a lintel above the main entryway that says "Dunkerton" and a "Year 1921" concrete marker near the building's peak that shows when the school was constructed.

The old portion of the school hasn't been used much in the past decade. The building suffered structural damage in a pair of 2008 storms, which left cracks in the walls and ceiling. Since then, the upper two floors have been used only for storage.

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