Valparaiso High School - History

History

In 1870, Valparaiso High School opened its doors for the first time, on the same land which Central Elementary School now stands.

Even before the first graduating class had left in 1874, the land on which the original high school was built upon had a long and rich history. A murderer was hanged nearby, just south of the future school site, in 1834. In 1853, the school's plot of land was purchased by a woman named Nancy Borst, but she sold it to the Presbyterian Church of Valparaiso in 1860. The land that was sold included a tract of land between Washington Street and Franklin Street, as well as a small triangle of land across from Franklin Street. The church constructed a new school on the recently purchased land and on April 16, 1861, the Valparaiso Collegiate Institute opened. The school was a two-story brick building with only four rooms and a small office. The school slowly declined over the years due to the start of the Civil War, and in 1869, the City of Valparaiso bought it for $10,000.

A new building was constructed north of the original in 1871. The two buildings were physically connected together and constructed so well in appearance to each other that it looked like one building. The school had become a three-story building with a new name: Valparaiso City Public Graded School. This was Valparaiso's first public high school. In its first year, there were 400 students and 10 teachers. Three years later, Valparaiso High School conducted its first commencement ceremony.

In the next three decades, overcrowding in the school became common so that by 1903, it was condemned and torn down.

Less than one year later, construction began on the new Central Building which was opened in 1904. The new building cost around $80,000 and was designed by Charles Lembke, a local architect. It was constructed by Wilson Brothers Construction. The school faced towards the east and to allow for more attic space, was constructed with a Mansard roof. The new school build had large chimneys and a tiered fountain. Although some sources report that the school taught kindergarten through eighth grade as well as ninth through twelfth, it was most likely used as a high school solely.

Once again, overcrowding became a problem so that by the 1920s, a construction of a new school was necessary. The last class to graduate from the Central Building was the class of 1927. After that, a new high school was built at 605 North Campbell Street, which would soon become the future Benjamin Franklin Middle School. This new high school thrived until the early 1970s.

By 1972, overcrowding once again summoned for construction of a new high school. The current high school was then constructed at 2727 North Campbell Street. In 1988 a field house was added to the west of the original building. A major renovation came in 1993, with a $19 million project adding classrooms to the north section of the building, a new and expanded kitchen and student cafeteria, and renovated administrative and guidance areas. In 1997 a roof was added and in 2004 work began on renovating the football stadium.