Golden High School

Golden High School

Courtesy of Lois Allen

Golden High School - Original Building 1896

Courtesy of Lois Allen

The History of Golden High School

Golden (population 629) is located in western Illinois in the northeast corner of Adams County. Il. Route 94 is the main drag through town and connects it to U.S. Route 24 four miles to the south. Golden is located about 20 miles northeast of Quincy. The At & St Railroad lays its tracks through Golden and a branch of the South Fork of Bear Creek also babbles into Golden.

The town was platted in 1855 and originally called LaBuda. Shortly afterward the name was changed to Keokuk Junction. Residents soon found it a problem when several items of mail were forwarded to Keokuk, Iowa. The town name was then changed to Golden. A great site to read about the town and school history can be found at the following web address: http://www.rootsweb.com/~iladams/franken/neweastfriesland.html .

The school system was set into motion shortly after the town's establishment. The high school was established in the late 1800s. It was a strong school with great community backing. The school lasted for approximately six decades. Sometime between 1948 and 1955 the Camp Point Central School District was established. Golden is now a part of that school district however it is not clear as to the exact year they joined forces. The first year listed for any sport on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) for Camp Point Central High is boys baseball in 1955. The last year mentioned for Golden High School is in boys basketball for the 1946-47 season.

Pictured below is the Golden Central Middle School. It is built on the grounds where the original high school building, built in 1896 and demolished in 1956, once stood.

The village of Golden is also home to the Prairie Mills Windmill. To read more about this unique piece of history check out http://www.goldenwindmill.org/ . For more on Golden also visit http://www.greatriverroad.com/quincy/golden.htm .

Golden High School Quick Facts

Year opened: late 1800s

Year closed: 1955??

School nickname: the "Eagles"

School colors: Purple & Gold

School newspaper: "The Golden Light Flashes"

School Yearbook: "Golden Reflections"

School Fight Song: unavailable

Athletics

Golden High School excelled in boys basketball. It is probable that the school also offered baseball and track. Basketball however is the only sport gaining attention on the IHSA web site. If you have any further information on the Golden HS athletic program please write and share it with us.

Boys Basketball

One ten year period proved to be "golden" at Golden High School. From 1938 to 1947 the Golden High School boys won 7 of the 10 District titles they challenged for. Included in this was a run a four consective championships from 1938 to 1941. Was it the coaching, a great run of competitive athletes, or a combination of both? The years of the District Championships are listed below however the records and coaches names are not available.

1937-38 District Champions

1938-39 District Champions

1939-40 District Champions

1940-41 District Champions

1942-43 District Champions

1945-46 District Champions

1946-47 District Champions

In a District tournament game in 1948 against Camden, the Golden High School team certainly showed their "Golden" play in a 125-15 win, a margin of victory of 110 points! Is there any more information about this game? We would like to find out.

Memories

From Lois Musick Allen (Class of 1945):

"The picture on the web site is of a grade school which replaced the high school. It was built on the same site, and I have a brick from the original building. I have a picture of the high school taken soon after it was built in 1896 and a picture which I took in 1941. By that time an addition had been built on to the back side and enlarged the building considerably. My four years in high school coincided
with World War II, and school trips were restricted and we bought war bonds and collected scrap metal for the war effort. Thanks for bringing back so many good memories."

Searching for More Information

Help us remember the many accomplishments of Golden High School. There are many questions to be answered and many items of interest to add to this page. A photo of the original high school is always a great addition. You can e-mail items and iformation to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il. 60631

Golden "Central" Grade School

Golden, Illinois