The History of Greenup High School
Greenup (population 1,532) is located in southeastern Illinois in south-central Cumberland County.
Interstate Highway 70, U.S. Route 40, Illinois Route 130, and Illinois Route 121 all travel to and from Greenup. The
Embarras River runs to the north of Greenup. The Conrail Railroad has railroad tracks that run through Greenup as well.
A town of note for location purposes might be Effingham, located 20 miles southwest of Greenup.
The history of the town and its school system goes back many decades. It is said that Greenup had
a school building in 1840 (http://www.Cumberland.K12.il.us/DistrictInfo/History/History.htm). A two story brick building was built in Greenup in 1876 for $3,478. This building served the community until
1896, when fire damage forced its destruction. A new, two-story, eight-classroom school was immediately built as a replacement
and it stood tall and proud until its demise int he 1960s. In 1908 an addition to the school was added and in 1927
a gymnasium added. Additional annexes of a bandroom and cafeteria were later made. The building eventually
served "all eight grades and a high school".
The first high school graduating class at Greenup High was the Class of 1890.
The final graduating class was the Class of 1949. It was in this year that the towns of Cumberland County agreed
to consolidate their School Districts. Greenup, Jewett, and Toledo High Schools became Cumberland High School in 1949
with the school located on Illinois Route 121 between Toledo and Greenup. As stated above, the original school building
in Greenup was demolished in the 1960s.
Greenup High School Quick Facts
Year first school built: 1840
Year high school opened: 1874
Year 1st High School built: 1876
Year of 1st Graduating Class: 1890 (9 graduates)
Year 2nd high school built: 1896 (1st building destroyed by fire)
Year gymnasium built: 1927
Year High School closed: 1949 (33 graduates)
Year 2nd H.S. building razed: 1960s
School nickname:
the "Blue Devils"
School colors: Blue
& White
School Fight Song: (University
of Illinois Fight Song Tune)
We're loyal to you Greenup High
We're blue and we're white, Greenup High
We'll back you to stand
'Gainst the best in the land
For
we know you have sand, Greenup High!
Rah!
Rah!
So crack out the ball, Greenup High.
We're backing you all, Greenup High.
Our team is our fame protector:
On!
Boys for we expect a
Victory from you Greenup High!
