The History of Hinckley High School
Hinckley (population 1,994) is located in northeastern Illinois in the southeastern portion of Dekalb
County. U.S. Route 30 is the main roadway leading to and from Hinckley. The Little Rock Creek flows through the
south side of town. The Burlington Northern Railroad also travels through Hinckley. The city of Dekalb sits
about 10 miles to the north and a little west of Hinckley.
"The Village of Hinckley has a rich and proud history. In the 1830's,
a Mr. Hollenbeck (who lived near Ottawa) was traveling the then-unsettled territory. He found a fine grove of trees west of
the present-day Hinckley, and named the grove after the squaws who were tending camp.
Back in Ottawa, word spread of the undeveloped land, and
in the spring of 1835, John Sebree built a log house. The next year saw more families come to the area, and soon a small
town was started at the west edge of what is now Hinckley. The town's name was Squaw Grove.
Hinckley was conceived in the 1870's as the brainchild of
Francis Hinckley, president of the Chicago and Iowa Railroad. The rail line was placed one-half mile east of the Village
of Squaw Grove, which was then named Hinckley.
From this early birth, much change and innovation would come
to Hinckley. Some key dates follow: Methodist Church (1835), first store (1872), Hinckley has 20 businesses (1876),
St. Paul's Church (1885), volunteer fire brigade organized (1886), tornado destroys most of village (1889)."
It is probable that Hinckley High School was established in the late 1800s, possibly early 1900s. Hinckley High served the town for at least six decades. It was after the 1956-57 school year that Hinckley and
its nearby neighbor to the east, Big Rock, agreed to consolidate their educational efforts. This effort resulted in the formation of the Hinckley-Big
Rock School District.
The high school for the Hinckley-Big Rock District was located in Hinckley. The current high school
was built in the late '50's or early '60's. The original high School building no longer stands.
Our good friend Marty Golby provide this bit of trivia on Hinckley's storied past:
"One of Hinckley's "claims to fame" is this: It's the site of the FIRST Harlem Globetrotter's
game on January 7, 1927, and the sign as you come into town indicates this as well. The Globetrotters wanted to
make their debut in a small-town gym, so Hinckley High School was the place!"
Hinckley High School Quick Facts
Year opened:
late 1800s/early 1900s
Year consolidated with Big Rock: 1957
Consolidated to:
Hinckley-Big Rock High School
Hinckley HS team nickname: the
"Hawks"
Hinckley HS team colors:
Purple & Gold
School Fight Song:
unavailable
