Central High School
When the new grade schools were built in 2003, the school district no longer had a use for Central High School. I am not sure if the school district still owns it, but I have heard rumors of plans to tear down the school and save the gymnasium. This put the school on our Top 10 Endangered list. As you can see from the picture above, the school was built in 1929. It was the second building to serve as the high school in town. The first was built at the same site in 1890. It became overcrowded an addition was added in 1902. By 1929, this 77-room school was completed. It served as the high school until 1956 when the current school was built on Walnut Avenue. The building then was used for the junior high school until the two junior high schools were consolidated in 1978. The school board used the building for administrative offices and school board meetings until 2000 when they moved to the former post office. TLC classes remained until the new grade schools were built. Now all that’s used is the gymnasium for city league basketball. I would think this building would make attractive offices. It has rooms of all sizes, and some have been converted to offices from the school administration. It recently had all the windows replaced, and they are all still intact. It would be a shame to see this building decay over the next 20 years. It would be a greater shame to see it torn down while its still in good condition.
Central School Gym
Facing northeast from Western
Facing northeast from 22nd Street
Facing southeast from 22nd Street November 2005, demolition began on Central School. Little effort was made to find a second use for the building. As far as I know, there are no plans for the site.
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