The Construction of McHenry High School

By the late 1910s, it was apparent that McHenry needed a separate high school building. At that time, high school students went to Landmark School which held the city’s grade school students as well. During the first part of the twentieth century, Landmark had to consistently alter the school’s floor plan to accommodate the growing student population. By the late 1910’s, it was clear that building a new structure needed to be considered, after a series of temporary fixes. One such alteration was splitting the gymnasium into two classrooms in 1920. On December 17, 1921, the city decided to put the issue to vote, with roughly two-thirds of the voters (roughly 1,900 people) saying that a high school was needed. The high school was estimated to cost $125,000 to be paid off in bonds over about twenty years. All bonds were to be paid off in 1941.

Picture of McHenry High School from mid 1920s.

Yet after receiving bids from contractors, the school board quickly realized that the $125,000 amount was going to not cover the costs needed to not only construct the building but also acquire the supplies needed to function as an educational facility. The cost was adjusted to $140,000, when that total was spent, additional funds would be acquired as needed. The basement was measured to run 140’ by 100’ and the school was to be two stories tall. The new high school gym was to match the one that was at Landmark School. It would measure 40’ by 40’ and have a stage with dressing rooms on each side. Herman Marckhoff & Son, from Chicago, were the masons that the school board hired to lay the foundation and construct the walls. Marckhoff & Son hoped to have the building “under roof” by November and set to work in April 1923. The school wasn’t the first building to be on the property, as it was called the Herbes estate. The property on the estate was sold off at an auction to make room for the new school. This included a barn, a brick cottage, and an outhouse, all of which were moved, with the exception of the cottage. The contractors used the cottage as a storage facility during construction.

In mid-April 1923, construction began with a crew of men and workers laying the foundation for the walls and basement. The gravel and sand for the construction were brought over from the Stenger, Covalt, and Allen subdivisions. By August, contractors realized that wouldn’t be finished by the start of the fall 1924 school year, much less the winter of 1923. (Work on the roof wouldn’t be initiated until March 1924.) However, with a heating system that they had installed, they would be able to work throughout much of the winter. The cause for delays were making sure they had enough people working, delays on supplies, and inclement weather. It was noted that McHenry wasn’t the only nearby location that was having trouble, as a school being constructed in Geneva was also running into similar issues. In the first week of September, the large steel trusses were installed for the auditorium. Each weighed in at seven tons, also loading and unloading them, was a bit of an undertaking. None of the items the contractors had were catastrophic, just a series of small items that hampered the overall progress of the project.

Picture of McHenry High School from 1926 high school yearbook.

By the first week of May 1924, the exterior of the building was completed as Marckhoff & Son finished their work. Also, by that time, the interior walls were mostly finished and the electrical wiring was progressing nicely. The school board took a tour of the new school and was starting to feel less anxious about the progress. Work kept going through the summer with the hope that the school would be ready for the scheduled start of school. It was…almost. There was some painting that needed finishing, as that work had been delayed due to some plastering and carpentry that hadn’t been completed. School was delayed two weeks for the construction to be finished and started on September 8, 1924. When it was opened, that building looked great and the overcrowding of the single school was a thing of the past. At least it was for about 30 years. The official dedication came on December 13, 1924. The school was on display for the public. Part of the celebration was a physics display, a chemistry experiment, and the school’s orchestra to entertain the attendees. One hundred years later, the school still serves the city of McHenry and its students.

Sources

  • “Community High School.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 11 Dec 1919, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 13 Oct 2024.
  • “Will Use Present School.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 5 Feb 1920, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 18 Oct 2024.
  • “School Opens Sept 6th.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 26 Aug 1920, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 18 Oct 2024.
  • “Vote New School Dec 17.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 8 Dec 1921, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 18 Oct 2024.
  • “Will Build New School.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 22 Dec 1921, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 18 Oct 2024.
  • “Open School Bids.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 22 Feb 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Award Contracts.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 1 Mar 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “School Contracts.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 8 Mar 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Buildings On School Property Sold Tues.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 15 Mar 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Work On New Community School Started Monday.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 19 Apr 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Work Progressing At School.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 26 Apr 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 12 Oct 2024.
  • “Hope To Work All Winter.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 16 Aug 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Big Steel Trusses For School Arrive.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 30 Aug 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Big Steel Trusses Are Being Laid.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 6 Sep 1923, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.
  • “Exterior Of School Building Completed.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 8 May 1924, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 28 Oct 2024.
  • “Opening Postponed.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 4 Sep 1924, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 28 Oct 2024.
  • “To Dedicate School.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 4 Dec 1924, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 27 Sep 2024.