Old Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse is the oldest rural elementary school in Dane County. It was in operation from 1855 until 1962. Its name comes from its location halfway between Mineral Point and Portage, on a popular route for early miners, who used to camp nearby. Today the site, a property of Dane County Parks, consists of the schoolhouse, a picnic area with a gazebo, a small playground, a hand water pump, a storage garage and bathroom facilities.

The Friends of Old Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse is a volunteer group founded in 1967 by Mrs. Violette Cairns, a former student and mother of former students, and Mrs. James Woodburn, of the Dane County Historical Society. Their purpose was to restore and preserve the setting and atmosphere of the oldest rural one-room schoolhouse in the county, and to maintain it as a museum open to the public. Since 1967, the Friends have restored and maintained the museum. They have sought out and purchased artifacts needed to complete the restoration. The one-room schoolhouse is set up with desks, books and other artifacts of school life from the 1930’s. The Friends group keeps the schoolhouse open on Sunday afternoons, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They also conduct tours for school groups, by appointment. Members of the Friends group open the building, care for the artifacts, and serve as guides for the visiting public. The Friends group also holds an annual meeting and an annual picnic at the park. It is solely because of the efforts of this group that the historical nature of the has been preserved.

Old Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse is at the intersection of Hwy. 19 and Hwy. F.