Located at Newton Park is a historical marker and cornerstone that mentions this site as the former Siskiyou County High School and later known as Yreka High School. IThe marker reads:
SISKIYOU COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
1893 1916
ON THIS SITE SAT
Siskiyou County High School
THE THREE STORY BRICK STRUCTURE OPENED ITS DOORS TO EIGHTEEN STUDENTS ON SEPT. 5, 1893, AND SERVED UNTIL OCT. 3, 1916, WHEN IT BURNED. IT WAS REPLACED IN 1918 WITH A LARGEER TWO STORY STUCCO STRUCTURE. (CORNERSTONE BELOW.) THIS LATER BECAME
Yreka High School
IT WAS USED UNTIL 1958 AND WAS TORN DOWN IN 1974.Dedicated
1995 E. CLAMPUS VITUS CHAPTER 73
SISKIYOU COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
YREKA HIGH SCHOOL CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE
CITY OF YREKA |
I also located a PDF document here that describes this historical marker and former school in addition to mentioning a time capsule that was placed in the monument at the time of its dedication, although nothing on the historical marker mentions a time capsule. The article reads:
Close to 100 people attended dedication ceremonies for the Siskiyou County High School historical plaque during the1995 July 4th weekend. The Star Spangled Banner played over the speaker system as the ceremony began about 11 a.m.Master of ceremonies, Dan Weimers, representing E Clampus Vitus, spoke about the monument and introduced each presenter. Terry Alderson, presiding Noble Grand Humbug of the Yreka ECV Chapter, confirmed their strong sentiments for preserving local history. Mary Ann Dillon from the Yreka High Centennial Committee spoke about the time capsule embedded within the monument. Items placed in the capsule included a 1994 Yreka High School commemorative program, copies of the Siskiyou Daily News Centennial Edition, Blue Goose Gazette and the Pioneer Press. June Severns, Siskiyou County Historical Society, and Jim Eckman from The City of Yreka also spoke.
It was Dan Weimers and Mac McKellar from E Clampus Vitus along with their partners from the Historical Society and City that brought this historical monument to fruition. Which future generation will it be that gets to open the time capsule? Will the monument and time capsule content ignite a passion within some future historian? I hope I can witness that event. The first High School in Yreka was called the Siskiyou County High School. Finished in 1894, the old brick school building burned to the ground on October 3, 1916. A new structure built on the same site called Yreka High School served the area until 1958. Following that school year another new High School building was built across the street from the old High School on a 50 acre site.(photo at right) This plaque is located in the City of Yreka on the southwest corner of North Oregon and Knapp Streets.
Finally, I located a blog website here devoted to the history of Yreka and this former high school is mentioned and reads:
Siskiyou County High School, Yreka 1894 (picture above)
The first (and then) only high school in Siskiyou County was built in Yreka in 1894. Students came from throughout the county to attend high school here. The school was located on the corner of North Oregon and Knapp Streets. The first graduating class was in 1896, with eight students listed on the roster. It is interesting to note that for many years the school physically stood just outside the official city limits to the North of town. The city limit was right at the south edge of the school property.
This fine building was one of major civic pride. The high school was usually mentioned when promoting the city of Yreka or the County of Siskiyou. The County prepared a special booklet for the 1915 Panama Exposition in San Francisco and among the entries was acclaim for the excellence of the school.
On October 3, 1916 fire broke out late at night and the entire building was consumed. The only thing that remained in the morning was the first two floors outer brick walls. It was a total loss to the community. The Siskiyou News ran an article about the fire on October 5, 1916. The building was insured, however, and plans were quickly made to rebuild a newer, more modern building.
Where this fine building once stood, the City and County rebuilt a new school ~ which is also gone today. Currently the same spot is occupied by a small sports park and all vestiges of this once proud building are gone except for a plaque (and cornerstone) at the park entrance.