Historic Old Central High School

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

This Richardsonian Romanesque high school building was constructed in 1892 and served the city of Duluth until 1971. The building, which occupies an entire city block and includes a 210-foot clock tower, now serves as the administrative headquarters of the city school district. The renowned architectural firm of Palmer, Hall, & Hunt designed the imposing building along with the vast majority of Duluth Public Schools at a time when Duluth experienced expansive economic and population growth.

Images

2018 photo of Old Duluth Central High School

Photo taken in 1891 or 1892 as construction of Historic Central High School neared completion

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Constructed in 1892, Central High occupies an entire city block and stands today as one of the finest examples of the Richardsonian Romanesque style in Northern Minnesota. One of the building's most striking features is the 210-foot tower adorned by a 10-foot-diameter clock. The renowned architectural firm of Palmer, Hall, & Hunt, who collectively started their careers in Indiana, Ohio, and New York City, moved to Duluth during the late 1880s and early 1890s. They designed the vast majority of Duluth Public Schools, including their Central High masterpiece, during the 1890s as Duluth experienced rapid economic and population growth.

The team modeled Central High after the Allegheny Court House in Pittsburgh. Nearly 7,000 people attended a ceremony in 1891 when builders laid the cornerstone. From 1898 to 1942, a 17-foot cannon stood on the high school's main steps; the U.S. captured it from the Spanish warship Oquendo during the Spanish–American War. But, the school donated the cannon as part of a scrap metal drive during World War II. The historic structure continued to function as a high school until 1971 when the town built a new high school.

The school nearly succumb to demolition, but the Central Preservation Committee and a grassroots effort saved the school. In 2004, the name changed to Historic Old Central High School and now houses the 1890s Classroom Museum and the Duluth School District administrative offices. However, in 2019, an assessment provided news that the building's necessary renovations could cost nearly $50 million, pushing the school board to place the building on the market (although no decision to sell has been made official as of 2020).

Sources

Cavin, Brooks "Nomination Form: Duluth Central High School. nps.gov. June 20, 1972. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/7a4a73b8-c6b2-4e27-ac59-dac3ed1e60d0/.

Dierkins, Tony. "Duluth Central High School (1892)." Zenith City Press. zenithcity.com. Accessed August 28, 2020. http://zenithcity.com/archive/historic-architecture/duluth-central-high-school-1892/.

--- --- --- "Palmer, Hall & Hunt." Zenith City Press. zenithcity.com. Accessed August 28, 2020. http://zenithcity.com/archive/people-biography/palmer-hall-hunt/.

Whitefoot, Adelle. "Duluth School Board approves listing Historic Old Central High School for sale.." News-Tribune (Duluth). Education sec. https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/education/4875640-Duluth-School-Board-approves-listing-Historic-Old-Central-High-School-for-sale

Image Sources(Click to expand)

By McGhiever - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71290772

Minnesota Historical Society