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Seneca Public High School
Click on picture for second view.
Seneca Public high School built in 1890 and went through the tornado of 1896 which also trashed the Court House to the west and damaged the Catholic Church to the northeast. Click on the picture to see a view of the school from the south east with the fence replaced with a rail. First picture about 1900 and second picture circa 1910.
This building was a show place in its day. There must be many pictures in circulation as there is a picture such as this one for sale on e-bay quite often. This is early picture as shown by the size of the trees which would be less than 10 years old. In the second picture this fence was replaced with a rail fence along the side walks. It is my belief they were to stop runaway teams or stampeding cattle from running down children. This was open range country and cattle were driven down Seneca's streets to the stockyards. When these cattle got away a person on a horse would be after them. This is why you see fences around some of the homes and schools.
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Report on damage to this building after the tornado of June 4, 1896 by the Courier Democrat reads as follows "Our $40,000 magnificent school of which Seneca has always been so proud and whose massive columns and solid masonry seemed to be proof against the onslaught of time, succumbed to the demon cyclone and the entire north wing was unroofed taking all rafters down to the brick walls. Large parts of the slate roof was striped from other parts of the building rendering the whole building unfit for occupancy. Loss estimated at $7,000." |
This school building was located in the center 400 block north of Nemaha Street. This School was condemned in 1968 as some of the walls were showing cracks around the bell tower and was believed to be unsafe. The Fire Marshal ordered the building vacated immediately. There was a lot of controversy as to this being necessary and believed it could have been saved, however if this building had collapsed and injured or killed some children it would have been too late. The building was taken down and the lumber sold by the contractor who dismantled this building. The block was sold and remained vacant for many years until the Family Medical Center was built on the south west corner of the block.
I bought some of the lumber to use in constriction of building on my farm and spent some time on location and visited with people who would come by and express their concerns about the building and how they felt about it being destroyed. Some spoke as if it was I who was doing this terrible deed of destroying this beautiful building that meant so much to them. All I could tell them it was not my decision to take it down. It was at this time I learned how many people had very strong feelings and many fond memories of the this building and how they was saddened to see it trashed. There are still today people who talk of the fact it could have been saved. Perhaps at this day and age with the technology we have and with grants something could have been done in regard to saving the building.
I remember reading where the contractor that built this building lost money as he had bid it too low however I have not come across that information again at this time. Should any one have or know where this information can be found please let me know.
This school was located in the block east of the the present day Court House.
Pictures of this school may be purchased at the Nemaha county Historical society
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