Located at the Fayette County Fair Grounds in West Union, you can see the Log Cabin and School House. These are open to visitors during the county fair each summer or by appointment.

Union #5 sometimes called Pleasant Ridge school, or Whitcher school, and earlier referred to as Old South or Crowe School, is a perfect example of a typical rural school. Originally the building was located about four miles east of West Union on Highway 56. It was built in 1903, with Mr. William Halstead the carpenter in charge.

The school has an entry way that allowed girls to hang their coats on one side and boys on the other. This was refered to as the "cloakroom". Indoor (chemical) plumbing was installed in about 1940. Water was carried from neighbor's farms or by the teacher. In 1957 the West Union school district mereged with some of the surrounding township and town schools. Union #5 was included in the reorganization, but continued to operate until 1960. The last teacher was Mrs. Helen Nydegger, and her class consisted of six girls.

The Pleasant Ridge Union #5 school was donated by the Whitcher family, to the county fairgrounds in West Union. As part of the 1975 bicentennial project, Union #5 was transported to the fairgrounds by Mr. Aylsworth's moving company of Wadena.