The Welcome Center to the foundation stands near the site of the original Alleghany Schoolhouse. The name “Alleghany” may have come from settlers from New York who were reminded of the foothills of the Alleghany Mountains. The original school was built in 1875 and served generations of families in the neighborhood. The structure burned down and was replaced with another one-
room building which operated as a school into the 1960s. A family then used it as a residence for several years.
In June of 1987, the school building was moved across the fields and through the woods to Billieville, and a new building was erected. The new structure was designed in the style of a one-room schoolhouse, but serves as a check-in point for guests and as a historical exhibit of Ed Lowe’s business ventures, entrepreneurship initiatives and involvement in the Cass County community.