Did you know………the Park Ridge Historical Society is hosting an exhibit of Park Ridge schools, old and new, this summer?

 

The earliest Park Ridge school was likely Pennoyer School, built at Higgins and Canfield in 1841, founded by a family that came from New England, settling in the area now called Norridge.  The Grant Place School, constructed in uptown Park Ridge about 1870, served Park Ridge until 1893 when the new Central School was opened on the grounds of the present Library.  When Central School burned in 1930, several schools were built: Roosevelt, Field and Lincoln.  Franklin was built in 1956.  Other D64 schools are Washington, Carpenter and Jefferson.

 

Over the years, some schools have come and gone, including the Park Ridge Military Academy, Sanford E Merrill, Madison, Edison and the first Emerson building.  Some buildings were repurposed (Madison has become a Park District Facility); others were demolished.  Oakton School is now home of the Jeanine Schultz Memorial School.

 

Maine Township High School was built on Thacker in about 1902 and was replaced in 1930 by Maine East on Potter. As the area high school population grew, Maine South, Maine North (now closed) and Maine West were constructed.

 

The Park Ridge School for Girls which moved from Evanston in 1908 is now known as Prospect Park/HQ for the Park District. Religious communities also built schools in Park Ridge: St. Paul of the Cross (1925) and Mary, Seat of Wisdom (1957), St Andrew’s Lutheran School (1911, constructing a new building in 1930).

 

Visit the History Center at Prospect Park, 721 N Prospect, on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 11 to 1 pm.  STROLL Park Ridge is proud to partner and support the Society's mission to collect, preserve and share the history of our town.