Sandusky Young High School

The History of Sandusky Young High School

Sandusky (population approximately 50) is located in the far southern tip of Illinois about 10 miles north (and a little west) of Cairo. Sandusky is a small, unincorporated village sitting in the east-central portion of Alexander County. Illinois Route 127 is the main roadway traveling to and from Sandusky. Mill Creek flows about a quarter-mile east of town. The Cairo Terminal Railroad line passes through the west side of Sandusky. According to the MapQuest (www.mapquest.com) view of Sandusky, the town is about 2 blocks from east to west and 3 blocks from north to south.

According to the Geneolgy Trails webpage of http://genealogytrails.com/ill/alexander/sandusky_his.htm , Sandusky was first known as Helena and was started along a railroad line and grew because of its location being surrounded by good timber. The town had three sawmills, a store, and a saloon in the 1880s.

Another Geneology Trails webpage (http://genealogytrails.com/ill/alexander/alex_sch.htm) has some limited information on the former Young High School located in Sandusky. Sandusky Young was a school for African-American kids of the town of Sandusky and surrounding area. It first offered grades 1 - 8 only but in later years is believed to have offered high school curriculum of two or three years. We know that Sandusky School was integrated into the Tamms School District (its neighbor to the north) in the early 1950s, possibly 1953.

The fate of the Sandusky Young School building is being sought.

Sandusky Young High School Quick Facts

Year opened: early 1900s

Year closed: 1953?

Consolidated to: Tamms Community School District

Young HS team nickname: unavailable

Young HS team colors: unavailable

Young HS Fight Song: unavailable