Siskiyou County High School - Yreka, CA
N 41° 44.307 W 122° 38.174
10T E 530249 N 4620801
This historical marker is located at the NE corner of Newton Park in Yreka, CA.
Waymark Code: WMK3E4
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 02/07/2014
Views: 1
Located at Newton Park is a historical marker and cornerstone that mentions this site as the former Siskiyou County High School and later known as Yreka High School. The marker reads:
SISKIYOU COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
1893 1916
ON THIS SITE SAT
Siskiyou County High School
THE THREE STORY BRICK STRUCTURE OPENED ITS DOORS TO EIGHTEEN STUDENTS ON SEPT. 5, 1893, AND SERVED UNTIL OCT. 3, 1916, WHEN IT BURNED. IT WAS REPLACED IN 1918 WITH A LARGEER TWO STORY STUCCO STRUCTURE. (CORNERSTONE BELOW.) THIS LATER BECAME
Yreka High School
IT WAS USED UNTIL 1958 AND WAS TORN DOWN IN 1974.Dedicated
1995 E. CLAMPUS VITUS CHAPTER 73
SISKIYOU COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
YREKA HIGH SCHOOL CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE
CITY OF YREKA |
I also located a blog website here devoted to the history of Yreka and this former high school is mentioned and reads:
Siskiyou County High School, Yreka 1894 (picture above)
The first (and then) only high school in Siskiyou County was built in Yreka in 1894. Students came from throughout the county to attend high school here. The school was located on the corner of North Oregon and Knapp Streets. The first graduating class was in 1896, with eight students listed on the roster. It is interesting to note that for many years the school physically stood just outside the official city limits to the North of town. The city limit was right at the south edge of the school property.
This fine building was one of major civic pride. The high school was usually mentioned when promoting the city of Yreka or the County of Siskiyou. The County prepared a special booklet for the 1915 Panama Exposition in San Francisco and among the entries was acclaim for the excellence of the school.
On October 3, 1916 fire broke out late at night and the entire building was consumed. The only thing that remained in the morning was the first two floors outer brick walls. It was a total loss to the community. The Siskiyou News ran an article about the fire on October 5, 1916. The building was insured, however, and plans were quickly made to rebuild a newer, more modern building.
Where this fine building once stood, the City and County rebuilt a new school ~ which is also gone today. Currently the same spot is occupied by a small sports park and all vestiges of this once proud building are gone except for a plaque (and cornerstone) at the park entrance.
I located a PDF document that describes this historical marker and former school here. This historical monument is also a time capsule although nothing on the historical marker mentions it, it is mentioned in the article.