Port Byron HS Red Devils

The History of the Port Byron High School "Red Devils"

Port Byron High School

Port Byron, Illinois (photo provided by Marty Golby)

Port Byron High School Building - 2009

Photo Submitted by Richard Soseman

Port Byron, Illinois (population 1,535) is located on the panhandle of Rock Island County in Northwestern Illinois along the mighty Mississippi River and on the Great River Road, Illinois Route 84. The village was founded in 1836 and once had a junior college near the turn of the century that had dormatories. PortByron was founded in 1833 and originally called Canaan. The name was changed to Port Byron, being named after the English poet George Gordon, Lord Byron, in 1837.

The above pictured building is the aforementioned academy. The portion to the far right is the original "Academy." The year the building was erected is not available at this time. The dormitory rooms were located in the original, middle section of the building. The gymnasium, located to your right of the main building above, was added onto the original school many years ofter its' initial construction.

Below is a history and photo of the Port Byron High School Building as shown in the 1923 yearbook titled "The Harper." The photo below and others from this yearbook shown on this page were sent to us by Kathy Korht.

Original Port Byron HS Building - 1923 Yearbook

Submitted by Kathy Kohrt

Port Byron High School consolidated with Cordova and Hillsdale High Schools in 1956 to form Riverdale High School. The above pictured Port Byron High School building served as the Riverdale High School building until 1967, when a new building was constructed between the towns of Port Byron and Hillsdale. The web address for the Riverdale School District is http://www.riroe.k12.il.us/riroe/riverdale/ .

Port Byron HS Building - 2009

Submitted by Richard Soseman

The Port Byron High School Building was used as a business called Commercial Towel Service (CTS) for many years. It was abandoned in the early 2000s. Though the building was recently determined to be structually sound and prime property for lofts overlooking the Mississippi River, it was never used again. Bill Alper tells us the building was razed in August of 2015.

Port Byron High School Quick Facts

Year opened: late 1800s / early 1900s

Year closed: 1956

Consolidated to: Riverdale School District

School nickname: the "Red Devils"

School colors: Red & White

School Fight Song: unavailable

ATHLETICS

Port Byron offered a variety of athletics in their existance. It is known that Port Byron competed in the old Two Rivers Conference during the 1940s and 1950s. Member schools included *Cordova, *Hillsdale, Erie, Prophetstown, *Lyndon, *Atkinson, Annawan, *Tampico, and *Mineral (* denotes school on this site).

BOYS BASKETBALL

Port Byron's Red Devils won three District Championships in Boys Basketball, coming in back-to-back-to-back seasons in the middle 1950s. Information is needed on other teams and records of Port Byron High School.

Some scores involving Port Byron High School in the annual IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled "Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores." The scores found are listed below as well.

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

1st Rd Beat Sheffield 25-19

2nd Rd lost to Annawan 20-18

Annawan lost to Moline in title game

1922-23 3 - 6 Postseason scores & coach's name needed.

Port Byron HS Basket Ball Summary 1923

Submitted by Kathy Korht (left click on photo for larger view)

Port Byron HS Basket Ball Team 1922-23

Submitted by Kathy Korht (left click on photo for larger view)

Port Byron HS Basketball Results1922-23

Submitted by Kathy Korht (left click on photo for larger view)

1923-24 through 1932-33 Postseason scores, records, and coach's names needed.

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

1st Rd Beat Hillsdale 23-22

2nd Rd lost to East Moline 33-23

East Moline lost to Moline in title game

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

1st Rd lost to Orion 43-22

Orion lost in 2nd Rd to East Moline

1935-36 Reynolds District Runner-up! Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Coal Valley 26-10

Semi-final Beat Cordova - score unavailable

Title game lost to Keithsburg 26-17

1936-37 Moline District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Moline 53-15

Moline beat East Moline for title

1937-38 Postseason scores, records, and coach's names needed.

1938-39 Postseason scores, records, and coach's names needed.

1939-40 Postseason scores, records, and coach's names needed.

1940-41 Orion District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Orion 24-6

Orion beat Cambridge in title game

1941-42 Postseason scores, records, and coach's names needed.

1942-43 Orion District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Coal Valley 24-20

Orion beat Cambridge in title game

1943-44 Erie District Runner-Up Coach's name & record needed

Title game lost to Erie 52-31

1944-45 Erie District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd lost to Coal Valley 50-32

Coal Valley lost to Lyndon in semi-final.

1945-46 18 - 6 Orion District Tournament Coach Paul Munson

1st Rd Beat Cordova 23-15

(no other scores available for PBHS)

1946-47 18 - 5 Rock Island District Tournament Coach Paul Munson

1st Rd Beat Lyndon 49-34

Semi-final Rd lost to Orion 47-33

Orion lost to Erie in title game

1947-48 14 - 12 Orion District Tournament Coach Charles Hoff

1st Rd Lost to Erie 55-22

Erie lost to Orion in title game

1948-49 Orion District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

1st Rd Beat Cordova 51-40

Semi-final round lost to Alwood 36-25

Alwood beat Coal Valley for title.

1949-50 Coal Valley District Runner-up! Coach's name & record needed

Semi-final Beat Cordova 45-41

Title game lost to Coal Valley 38-35

1950-51 Hillsdale District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

Semi-final lost to Coacl Valley 54-53 (2 O/Ts)

Coal Valley lost to Hillsdale in title game

1951-52 Port Byron District Tournament Coach's name & record needed

(Port Byron scores unavailable)

Lyndon beat Cordova for title

1952-53 IHSA District Champions! Coach's name & record needed

District Scores Unavailable

Rock Island Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to East Moline 56-31

East Moline lost to Moline in semi-final

Moline lost to Rock Island in title game

1953-54 IHSA District Champions! Coach's name & record needed

District Scores Unavailable

Moline Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Rock Island 99-30

Rock Island lost to Moline in title game

1954-55 IHSA District Champions! Coach's name & record needed

District Scores Unavailable

Geneseo Regional Tournament

1st Rd lost to Rock Island 70-33

Rock Island lost to Moline in title game

*1955-56 Postseason scores, record, and coach's name needed.

*Final year for Port Byron High School. Became part of the Riverdale School District in the 1956-57 school year.

FOOTBALL

The Port Byron Red Devils also competed in football in the Two Rivers Conference. Behind the school pictured above lies land known as the Dorrance Park Forest Preserve. The land adjacent to the back of the school building served as the Port Byron football field and was host to many "Friday Night Lights" grid iron contests. Today the old field has given way to baseball diamonds for the town of Port Byron.

Tom Sikorski and Dean Bentley provided the following facts about the Port Byron grid iron successes:

1946 Two Rivers Conference Champions (6-man FB)

1947 Two Rivers Conference Champions (6-man FB)

1950 4-1 Two Rivers Conference Co-champs

1952 6-0 Two Rivers Conference Champions Coach Mel Smith

1955 8-0 Two Rivers Conference Champions

1955 was the last season Port Byron independently fielded a football team. Last win was 54-12 over Hanover.

More Information Needed

More information is being sought about Port Byron High School; use the Guest Commentary Form or the School Submission Form to submit. If you have more Information about Port Byron High School, including the nickname, school colors, the school song and especially win-loss records and other great teams you would like to share please e-mail this website at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. .

You may also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, IL 60631

Port Byron High School Building

Courtesy of Richard Soseman