Huntsville High School

Huntsville Township Building 2016

Possibly Former School Gym

Huntsville Park in Center of Town

The History of Huntsville High School

Huntsville (population approximately 100) is located in western Illinois in the west-central portion of Schuyler County. Huntsville sits in a true country setting at the crossroads of the County Roadways known as Huntsville Road, Augusta Road, and Shiloh Church Road. The town is about three blocks long and three blocks wide. Huntsville is positioned about 15 miles southwest of Macomb.

According to the Rootwsweb website address of http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilschuyl/Huntsville.html, the town of Huntsville was platted in 1835 and named after the city of the same (and original) name in Alabama. The folks of Huntsville had great plans for their community to grow and prosper. By the late 1800s the town's population had reached about 300 people.

A log cabin school house was built in 1836. Huntsville had a two-story school building in the early 1900s. We believe that Huntsville school began offering high school curriculum in the early 1900s. We now that as late as 1941 Huntsville had an active high school, though probably never offering more than a three-year education.

According to the article referred to above, in 1948 Huntsville had only a 1st - 6th grade facility after having consolidated with nearby Augusta. The article also states that Huntsville's population at that time (1948) was approximately 100 people.

Our only guess is that Huntsville High School likely closed in the mid-1940s, around 1947. We know that Huntsville had a high school in 1941 from information we have recieved from a Camden High School yearbook of the same year. It lists two basketball games having been played between Camden and Huntsville high schools. The fate of the Huntsville High School building is being sought.

Huntsville High School Quick Facts

Year opened: late 1800s / early 1900s

Year closed: mid 1940s

Consolidated to: Augusta Southeastern School District

Huntsville HS team nickname: unavailable

Huntsville HS team colors: unavailable

School Fight Song: unavailable

ATHLETICS

Huntsville High School boys competed in basketball. We believe they may have competed in track and baseball as well. Many, if not all of their games, were against other two and three-year public schools in the area. Huntsville High's team nickname, team colors, school fight song, coach's names, and records of the better HHS teams are all items we are seeking.

From Roger Icenogle, whose mother graduated from Huntsville High School in 1937:

"Schuyler County, in the 1920s & 1930s, had six schools that were 3-year high schools: Camden, Huntsville, Littleton, Browning, Frederick, and Brooklyn. As I recall, Littleton, Brooklyn, and Browning had gymnasiums. My mother graduated from Huntsville '37 and had photos of basketball games being played outdoors. Players wore sweatsuits and the court lines were chalked. Games were squeezed in whenever conditions allowed, but mostly October, November, and March."

BOYS BASKETBALL

Season records and coaches' names are needed. We did find the following scores regarding Huntsville High School participating in the IHSA State Tournament on a website titled Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores.

1935-36 Browning District Tournament Coach's Name Needed

1st Rd lost to Chambersburg 42-15

Chambersburg beat Browning in title game

1940-41 Browning District Tournament Coach's Name Needed

1st Rd lost to Browning 30-16

Versailles beat Littleton in title game

If you have any further information regarding the Huntsville High School basketball program please contact us.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

We know athletics could not have been all of the functions offered at Huntsville High. It is probable that chorus, band, and other extra-curricular activities were offered as well.

WE ARE SEEKING YOUR IN-PUT

Please contact us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net if you can offer any further insight or information on the history and accomplishments attained at Huntsville High School. Items can be mailed to us at:

IIlinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631