Massey Basketball: The Galesburg Archive- Celebrating Our Educational Roots

This is a trip around Galesburg looking at schools from the past and schools from the present.

Which schools did you attend?

What are your memories?

Favorite teachers / favorite classes?

How did you get to school?

Who were your classmates?

Share your memories in Massey Basketball Blog comments or Facebook comments.

Silas Willard School

Located on East Fremont St. just off Seminary St.

Named for 19th century Galesburg businessman credited for bringing railroad to Galesburg.

Original Silas Willard school.

New Silas Willard school.

Abraham Lincoln School (Closed)

Located on North Harrison between Losey and Fremont.

Originally part of the K-88 initiative in late 1960’s to build middle schools.

Later became Board Office

Katherine Nielson School (Closed)

Located on North Farnham St near Losey St corner.

School was part of K-88 initiative in late 1960’s to build middle schools.

Farnham School (Closed)

Located on North Farnham St

Washington School (Closed)

One or two room school off E. Main St.

It was not part of Galesburg school district, it was outside the city boundary.

It is a private residence today.

Lillian Taylor School (North Side of Allen Park) (Closed)

Allen Park School (Closed)

Nellie Swanson School (Closed)

Located off Indiana on the southeast side of Galesburg.

Grubb School (Torn Down)

Located on corner of Oak St and Brook St- just north of Lombard.

It was a small school having grades 1-3.

It became a credit union before being demolished.

Lombard School

It is located on East Knox St.

Built on the former Lombard College campus. It was a junior high for most of its time, today it is a middle school.

Martin Luther King Jr School

It is located on South Farnham St.

It was one of the K-88 middle schools built in late 1960’s.

Douglas School (Closed)

Identical building to Weston School.

Believed to be named for Stephan Doughlas.

Weston School (Closed)

Located south of East Main on Mulberry St.

Identical building to Douglas School.

Mary Allen West School (Torn Down)

Central grade school that served downtown Galesburg. It is located on West Simmons St a block off the square.

Mary Allen West is believed to have been first baby born in Galesburg out at the Log City. She was a long-time teacher, administrator, and then community organizer.

Old Galesburg HS (Torn Down)

Located on the corner of Broad St and Tompkins St. It was last used in 1959.

Old Churchill (Torn Down)

It was located on the corner of Simmons St and Broad St.

It was named for Dr. George Churchill. He was longtime Knox professor, credited for organizing Galesburg schools after studying German schools, on City Council and on school board. So respected when they built a new junior high, they again named it after Churchill.

Old Steele Gym (Torn Down)

It was located on Simmons St next to GHS and Churchill.

It was named for William Steele. Steele was Galesburg Supt of Schools for over 30 years in the 19th century. After the GHS was moved to Fremont St and the buildings were demolished in the 1960’s, the school district named one of the new middle schools after Steele again.

Corpus Christi (Torn Down)

It was located in what is now the parking lot just north of Corpus Christi Church.

St. Joseph’s (Closed)

It was located on South Academy St. next to Knox College.

Cooke School

It is located on South Henderson St.

Steele School

It is located on West Main St.

LT Stone School (Closed)

It is located on the corner of North St and Hawkinson St.

Hitchcock School (Closed)

It is located on North Cherry St.

In the 1950’s, Hitchcock was one of three junior highs in Galesburg. After the new Churchill was built, Hitchcock became a grade school. Today it is an apartment building.

Irma Gale School (Torn Down)

It was located on West Dayton St. It was just north of GHS.

It was part of the K-88 initiative to build middle schools.

It was named for long-time GHS social studies teacher, Irma Gale. Gale had married George Washington Gale’s grandson.

Rose Hoben Welch School (Torn Down)

This was located on West Dayton St, a block west of Henderson St.

It was named for Galesburg most famous teacher/administrator, Rose Hoben Welch who taught in Galesburg over 60 years.

Galesburg High School

It is located on West Fremont St, about two blocks west of Henderson St. It opened for the 1959-60 school year. It was completely remodeled in the early 2020’s.

Bateman School (Torn Down)

Bateman was located just north of Churchill on Maple St.

Churchill School (Closed)

It is located on North Maple St. between Losey St and Fremont St.

Henderson Grove School (Closed)

Located north of Galesburg just west of Route 150.

Wataga School (Closed)

Wataga was part of the Galesburg school district. When the Galesburg school board voted to close this building, Wataga left the school district to go to ROWVA.