Wheeler School

RAZED Wheeler School View all images of Wheeler School

a.k.a. Canal Street School

a.k.a. Upper School

a.k.a. Mulberry Street School

Quick Timeline

1855	Canal Street School is first public school building
1884	Additional buildings accomodate rising numbers
1910	Renamed Wheeler School
1915	Addition built along 4th St
c1972	School is razed

Location

Architecture

History

Canal Street School, as it was originally called, was Evansville's first public school building which housed high and elementary classes. The first building was erected in 1855 at Third and Cherry Streets. The high school met in the 3rd floor of the original building from 1858 until it moved in July 1863 to the old Baptist church at 2nd and Clark.

new wing added in 1871 sanborn built on canal between 3rd and 4th 3 story four room building added (fronting 3rd st) 1871 Third Street School four room building added (fronting 4th st) 1873 Fourth Street School 4 buildings 1899

The schoolhouse soon became too small for the rapidly growing number of pupils and another building was put up by the side of the old school building and then still another until at one time there were five school buildings on the square. This collection of school buildings was at one point the largest in the city, though it hardly resembled the original school. The entrance was now from the rear on Mulberry St.

Once Carpenter School was built in 1859, Canal School became referred to as Upper School. c1879 as more school were added the Canal St School

Sometime around 1890 "Canal" was dropped and the name was shortened to Canal School

>1895 <1910 3rd st school razed (school reused as 12th ave colored school)

canal st gone (from 5th to 2nd)mulberry st school 1910

The school was renamed Wheeler School in 1910/1914 after Horatio Q. Wheeler who spearheaded the movement to set up public school system. 4th st school replaced with newer neoclassical addition 1915

Closed 1972 The school was demolished 1974 and is now a parking lot for Welborn Hospital.

Comments

Carpenter School was known as "Lower School" and Canal Street School was known as "Upper School" in reference to their location to the Ohio River.

See also

Research notes

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