An old-fashioned ice cream social is planned for Aug. 7 at the historic Oakdale Schoolhouse at the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, 1661 W. JPG Niblo Road, Madison.
The event begins at 5 p.m. with short walking tours and short van tours of Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. At 6, guest speaker Orbin Ash, a historic preservationist, will talk about the schoolhouse, and homemade ice cream and desserts will be served.
Oakdale School is a one room stone schoolhouse built in 1869. It is located on Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, which is overlaid on the closed Jefferson Proving Grounds. The school will be open for tours and viewing at the event.
To attend the event, follow the brown directional signs to the refuge office off of State Road 421. Additional signs will direct visitors to Oakdale Schoolhouse, which is located on Paper Mill Road (Morgan Road on the refuge).
For information about Big Oaks go online at fws.gov/refuge/big_oaks/.
