coal country school

This three-story building in the center of town was originally scheduled to open in 1918, but a flu epidemic actually caused the building to be used as a temporary hospital and morgue until things were more under control. Finally 1919 saw the dedication of the new high school, later renamed in honor of its first principal. The population in this area topped out as high as 30,000 residents in the 1920s and 1930s within one square mile due to the boom of coal industry. This was the highest population per square mile of any municipality at the time.

The school remained in use until 1986 when new facilities replaced it. Eventually as coal industry began to cease in popularity, residents moved away. Today the community holds less than 6,000 residents. The building is currently in the hands of the local tax bureau because the owner defaulted, but not before he managed to strip all of the metal and plumbing from the building. The town does not know what to do with the building at this point since a lack of resources and need prevent adaptive reuse, though local historical societies are pushing to convert it into a local arts center.