The History of Edgewood High School
Edgewood (population 527) is located in southeastern Illinois in the southwestern portion
of Effingham County. Interstate Highway 57 passes by the northwest corner of town. Illinois Route 37 and County Highways
27 and 29 also take you to and from Edgewood. The Illinois Central Railroad line passes through town as well. The town is
located about 17 miles southwest of the city of Effingham.
provided the following information about Edgewood.
Edgewood was laid out by the Illinois Central Railroad as a prospect
town in 1857. Its post office began operation in 1858. The village was incorporated in 1869. Edgewood was a quiet town that
had a few stores, blacksmith shop and some light industry in the early 1920’s.
A book titled "Towns of Effingham County, Illinois" published by Effingham County Bicentennial
Commision in 1975 can be read at the following web address:
The book states the following in summary in a short article about Edgewood:
Edgewood at that time (1975) had three railroads that traveled through town. Edgewood was platted in 1857
by the Illinois Central Railroad line. It was incorporated as a village in 1869. At one time there were two banks in town,
something unusual for a town of its size.
The early days of Edgewood found a lot of timber trade as there were many trees in the area. Edgewood
was considered a fine small community in the mid-1970s, never growing much larger or smaller than a population of around 550.
We were made aware that Edgewood at one time supported a high school while conducting research on
the website titled "Illinois Post Season Basketball Scores". The website is located at https://sites.google.com/site/xtmi2000/ . We found District Tournament scores involving Edgewood High School beginning in 1935. These results will be listed
below in the athletics section.
The following historical information was sent to us by Dennis Downey as found in a book
titled "The Centennial History of Edgewood" whose main author was Charlotte Spurlin.
"In 1914, after the 8th grade commencement, students from rural schools and Edgewood joined to form a
new ninth grade. Ray Bryant, who taught in the rural Clay County schools, was hired as the teacher. Due to
lower enrollment of the 7th and 8th grades, there was sufficient room for the new grade. In 1915, a tenth grade was added
with new teacher, Miss Edith Schell. A partition divided the classes in the upper grade part of the school.
Thus, the two teachers could teach 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade, In 1916, the board decided that an 11th grade would
need to be added and thus created a three year high school. A new brick building would be erected starting in May,1916.
The building pictured at the very top of this page was moved offsite; part to become a
granary and the other as a building next to a store. The new brick school was not ready in the fall, so students went to
the Masonic Hall and Christian Church. In 1917, four students remained in the class. Bessie Barbee became
the first graduate alphabetically to graduate from Edgewood High School. Edgewood High School was closed in 1948 and the students
sent to nearby Effingham for their high school education.".
We know that the kids of Edgewood today attend school as part of the Effingham School District. Edgewood
hosted a grade school (K-4) as part of the Effingham School District until it was closed in 2013. The former Edgewood Grade
School building is now utilized as the Edgewood Public Library. If you have any additional
information about Edgewood and its former high school please contact us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net .
Edgewood High School Quick Facts
Year opened:
1914
Year closed: 1948
Consolidated to: Effingham High School
Team nickname: unavailable
Team uniform colors: unavailable
School Fight Song: unavailable
