City/Town: • Cedar Point |
Location Class: • School |
Built: • 1918 1937 | Abandoned: • ~2015 |
Status: • Abandoned • Endangered |
Photojournalist: • Emily Cowan |
In 1918 a devasting fire completely destroyed the Cedar Point School, quickly classes were moved to Principal Mrs. Ada Lake’s home. Miss Myrtle Self and Miss Henry Young held their classes in the Presbyterian Church. Within a few months, a new school was underway, the contract was awarded to J. L. Zollars to excavate the grounds. Others involved in the construction were Missouri Valley Furniture Co. for the milling, Patent Vulcanite Roofing Co., Southwestern Electric Co., Cement Stone & Supply Co. of Wichita, and the Lumberman’s Supply Co. S.S. Voigt of Wichita was the architect and made a wonderful brick school for the small town.
In 1937 a magnificent gymnasium was added to the building with a state-of-the-art basketball court for the Cedar Point Bronchos. Which in 1955 became the Broncos instead. Throughout the decades’ Cedar Point excelled most in basketball, holding tournaments for Chase County in their own gym. Oftentimes they competed against Matfield Green, Strong City, Clements, and Elmdale.
Enrollment typically never reached over 150, which was eventually what led to the downfall of Cedar Point Consolidated School. Cedar Point High School classes were consolidated in the early 1960s leaving it a grade school serving K-8th grade up until that consolidated as well in the late 1970s when enrollment fell below fifty. After its abandonment as a school locals continued using the gymnasium as a community building for reunions weddings, funerals, and get-togethers, up until the mid-2010s.
Then the building fell abandoned again, and locals Sonda Bruce and Dr. James Fisher put together a proposal with approximately twenty-five different uses for the building to benefit the community. It seemed that there was some animosity with the town board over their lack of action to do anything. The school grounds were then sold at an auction to a local farmer. The former school portion of the building has almost entirely collapsed on itself while the gymnasium is almost in perfect condition.
Gallery Below of Cedar Point School
https://www.newspapers.com/image/341813172/?terms=%22cedar%20point%20school%22&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/518166901/?terms=cedar%20point%20school&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/518167845/?terms=cedar%20point%20school&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/12109302/?terms=%22cedar%20point%20school%22&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/10189380/?terms=%22cedar%20point%20gym&match=1
Cedar Point School Cedar Point School Cedar Point School Cedar Point School Cedar Point School
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Thanks for the article! I’ve been obsessed with visiting this school and the town for over a decade and never knew the back story. Sad to see the building continue to deteriorate over the years.