Creal Springs High School

Creal Springs School Complex 2015

Creal Springs High School Building 2015

Now Owned/Used by City

Creal Springs High School Front Entrance 2015

The History of Creal Springs High School

Creal Springs (population 702) is located in far southern Illinois 25 miles southeast of Carbondale. The town was settled in the early 1880s in southeastern Williamson County. Illinois Route 166 is the main road through Creal Springs which sits just five miles west of U.S. Route 45. The Cana Creek flows through the west side of town while the Sugar Creek flows through the east side.

According to "Place Names of Illinois" by Edward Callary, the town now known as Creal Springs was first established in the mid-1840s as Sulphur Springs due to the small area waterways which were ripe with minerals. In 1883 a man named Edward Creal developed a spa and resort and the town grew quickly. The town was named either by Mr. Creal or in his honor.

According to the Illinois Trails web page http://iltrails.org/williamson/maincrealsprings.htm Creal Springs early history included the following:

"Creal Springs was an early French trading post. In 1881 Edward G Creal discovered a mineral springs and built a town there, platted in 1883. The Creal Springs Seminary, it opened in 1884 w Gertrude Brown Murray as principal. It was chartered as a college in 1894 and closed in 1916. Seaburg Church and school were established in 1825 in this section."

A school system was created for Creal Springs residents in the late 1800s. A new school was built for by the town in 1912. It served the town as a high school and grade school through the late 1940s when the high school was closed. The high school aged children were then bused to Marion to continue their education.. After the high school closed the building continued in its use as a grade school through the 2011-12 school year when it, too, was closed. The school building was then sold to a private resident of Creal Springs and is still being used today (2015) in some capacity.

http://www.qconline.com/obituaries/grace-gillespie/article_27a721c3-a874-5f4c-aa9a-cd380c8a67a3.html

Creal Springs School Sign 2015

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Creal Springs School Rear View 2015

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Creal Springs School Side View 2015

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To view more vintage photos of Creal Springs events and buildings, click on this web link:

http://crealsprings.net/ (go to History section)

Creal Springs High School Quick Facts

Year opened: late 1800s

Year closed: early to mid-1940s

Annexed to: Marion High School

Creal Springs team nickname: possibly the "Lions"

Team colors: unavailable

School Fight Song: unavailable

ATHLETICS

Unfortunately there are no records on the IHSA website regarding the athletic success and attributes of the former Creal Springs High School. We believe the three sports commonly offered of the early days in small town high schools, basketball, baseball, and track, were probably offered at Creal Springs High as well. Basketball scores involving the Creal Springs High School basketball program were found on a website titled "Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores" and are listed below.

Creal Springs Trophies in Window of Gym 2015

BOYS BASKETBALL

1921-22 Marion District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Ullin 26-15

2nd Rd lost to Cobden19-9

Marion beat Johnson City in title game

1932-33 Marion District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Pittsburgh 43-24

2nd Rd lost to Carbondale 18-15

Johnson City beat Herrin in title game

1933-34 Harrisburg District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Equality 78-22

Equality beat Eldorado in title game

Equality placed 3rd in IHSA State Tournament

1934-35 Herrin District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Pittsburgh 47-14

2nd Rd Beat Carterville 33-25

Semi-final lost to Johnson City 54-18

Johnson City beat Marion in in title game

1935-36 Ridgway District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Galatia 43-22

Crab Orchard beat Broughton in title game

1936-37 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1937-38 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1938-39 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1939-40 Creal Springs District Runner-Up Coach's name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

Title Game lost to Simpson 43-28

1940-41 Creal Springs District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to New Columbia 25-23

New Burnside beat Crab Orchard in title game

1941-42 Creal Springs District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

Crab Orchard Beat Simpson in title game

1942-43 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1943-44 Creal Springs District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

Early Rd Scores Needed

Robbs beat Stone Fort in title game

1944-45 Crab Orchard District Runner-Up Coach's name & record needed

Semi-final beat Goreville 49-13

Title Game lost to Crab Orchard 33-23

1945-46 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

1946-47 Marion District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

Semi-final lost to Valier 56-42

Valier beat Crab Orchard in title game

1947-48 Creal Springs District Tourney Coach's name & record needed

**1st Rd lost to Goreville

Valier beat Goreville in title game

**Final listing for Creal Springs on this site. School possibly consolidated to Marion High School in the summer of 1948.

Seeking Your Assistance

If you have ANY information you can offer regarding the former Creal Springs High School please contact us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net . You can also contact us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631

Creal Springs Grade School

Former Creal Springs High School