Caledonia High School

The History of Caledonia High School

Caledonia (population 199) is located in far north-central Illinois in the west-central portion of Boone County. Illinois Route 173 is the main roadway leading to and from Caledonia. Interstate Highway 39/90 passes by Caledonia just three miles to the west. A point of reference for location sake might be Rockford, which is a 10 mile southwesterly hike from Caledonia (as the crow flies).

We know that Caledonia once was the site of a three-year high school. A graduation program sent to us by Roberta Van Briesen shows us that in 1945 the school honored one graduate from the junior class, proving this school was a three-year high school.

Caledonia Grade/High School Graduates - 1945

Provided by Roberta Van Briesen

Caledonia Graduation Program of 1945

Submitted by Roberta Van Briesen

The kids of Caledonia attend high school as part of the Belvidere School District at this time. If you have any further information you can share on the former Caledonia High School please contact us.

Caledonia High School Quick Facts

Year opened: 1920s?

Year closed: late 1940s?

Consolidated to: Belvidere School District

Caledonia HS nickname: unavailable

Caledonia HS uniform colors: unavailable

School Fight Song: unavailable

ATHLETICS

Caledonia High School competed in basketball against other small town high schools such as Compton, Kings, Cherry Valley, Harmon, Poplar Grove, and Lee Center in the Meridian Conference. It is likely that baseball and track were offered at the school as well.

We are searching for more information such as season records, coach's names, and quick facts information missing above.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Caledonia High School boys definitely competed in basketball. Dean Bently located a 1947 yearbook from Alden High School which lists the following scores of games played by Caledonia against Alden:

@ Caledonia - 74……..Alden - 28

@ Caledonia - 50……..Alden - 37

Season records, coaches names, and other information is needed regardng the CHS basketball program.

The following scores were located on a website titled "Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores".

1934 Rockford District Tourney

Lost to Durand 33-16

Durand lost in 2nd Rd.

1935 Rockford District Tourney

Beat Steward 20-19

Lost to Harlem 38-17

Harlem lost in title game

1936 Rockton District Tourney

Lost to Pecatonica 30-9

Pecatonica won District title

Pecatonica lost in 1st Rd of Regional

1937 through 1944 scores not available.

1945 Monroe Center District Tourney

Beat Fairdale 25-23 (O/T)

Lost to Monroe Center 38-35

Monroe Center lost in semi-final.

1946 Monroe Center District Tourney

Lost to South Beloit 47-23

South Beloit lost in semi-final

**Last score listed for Caledonia High School on this site.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Our bet is that Caledonia High School had several other "activities" to offer to its students. Plays, chorus, band, student government, dances, and other similar functions probably made the CHS experience a grand one.

FAMOUS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

Courtesy of Roberta Van Briesen

The town of Caledonia, small as it may be, once was home to one of the best and most reknowned girls basketball teams in the state of Illinois. In fact, they were so well known they took trips to play other girls teams out of state in "exhibition" games. One advertisement from 1929 shows that the "Caledonia H.S. Girls Team" would be playing the "Taylor Trunks Basketball Club of Chicago" on February 09. The advertisement describes the Taylor Trunks as holding the "National Championship of the United States". (The Taylor Trunks would win this one.)

The newspaper article below talks of the great teams and many victories the girls basketball program enjoyed in its short run.

Courtesy of Roberta Van Briesen

Caledonia Girls Basketball Team of 1929

Courtesy of Roberta Van Briesen

MEMORIES

From Leah Berg:

"I stumbled upon your website and to my surprise I found Caledonia High school and saw that you needed information on it.

I lived in Caledonia my entire life and went to grade school there. I know several elderly people who have also lived here their whole lives and have never mentioned a high school. Caledonia Elementary School has been the only school building in Caledonia as far as I know. It definitely started as a one-room deal and then was built bigger. I know it served through 8th grade at one point and possibly a few years beyond that? There is no old school building at the sight. There was a school built in the 60’s and then added on in the late 90’s. It serves about 500 students from the surrounding area. When I was there (in the 80’s and 90’s) there were only about 200. Lots of growth."

Do You Have Any Further Information?

If you have any information you would like to add to the Caledonia High School page please send it to us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net . A photo of the high school building would be greatly appreciated. You can also write to us via real mail at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva Ave.

Chicago, Il. 60631