Central School

Central School
MONTANA'S FIRST GRADED SCHOOL • Est. 1876
46°35'21.73"N 112° 2'7.01"W

Central School (Helena Graded School), ca. 1876

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Stereoview of a Helena classroom (presumably Helena Graded School), ca. 1875.

Central School and Warren St., 1890s

KENNON BAIRD COLLECTION • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

Central School, ca. 1900

COURTESY OF TOM MULVANEY • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

Eighth Grade Class, 1900
Names of Students on Linked Page • Click on Image

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Two Views of the 1915 - 2017 Central School
From 8th Avenue

COURTESY OF TRUDY ERICKSON • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

The second Central School was built in 1915 and expanded in 1921. Much original architectural detail was lost to the 1935 earthquakes.

From North Warren Street

COLLECTION OF NANCY GOODSPEED

1921 Expansion

Construction on the West Side of Central School
1921 Expansion

Note on the right side that the first Central School building was still standing.

Damaged by 1935 Earthquakes

These photographs of the east side of Central School show that much of the deorative detail was toppled gy the earthquakes. Some interior walls were also buckled.

In early 1936, Central School students published a newspaper, the "Central School Citizen". The first issue contained much about the earthquakes...

Central School playground, late 1940s

THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLLECTION

This playground was the site of Helena's first cemetery. Most of the remains were moved to the Benton Avenue Cemetery when it opened in 1870.

Central School Graduating Class, 1947

COURTESY OF THE DAVID POOR COLLECTION • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

Central School Graduating Class, 1954

COURTESY OF CHARLEEN SPALDING • CLICK ON IMAGE TO OPEN A BIG VERSION IN A NEW WINDOW

June 2012 Google Maps View of Students

Closing and Demolition

In March of 2013, the building was closed due to alleged seismic concerns, Following protracted procedural and legal wrangling, which included vocal opposition to demolition from the local historical preservation community, Central School was pulled down in 2017, and construction of a new building was begun

Views of Shuttered Central School, June 2017
Photos by Kennon Baird

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Views of the Demolition

COURTESY OF DAVID POOR

COURTESY OF TOM KILMER

Comparison View - 1915 Building vs Design of new Building

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