For the first time in more than 200 years there will not be a school building at the corner of North Mulberry and Burgess streets. Here are some key moments in the history of the ‘old middle school’, from the 1953 Forum yearbook.
• 1818 The first school building is erected on North Mulberry Street, replacing the log building on the Public Square
• 1856 Eight lots on the west side of North Mulberry Street are purchased to build Union High School
• 1859 Union High School is completed
• 1898 A new high school building was added to the property, next to the Union Building
• 1924 The Union Building is razed and a new high school was built in its place. This becomes the West wing of the final building.
• 1928 A gym/auditorium is added to the back of the high school building
• 1938 The 1898 building is torn down, after being used as a junior high school since 1924. Junior High students are incorporated into the high school building
• 1938 Voters approve a bond issue to build the present building; the program was completed in 1940
• 1950 A shop and music room were added to the high school
• 1970 High school students move to the new Martinsburg Rd. building; the Mulberry St. building becomes the middle school
• 1995 The school on Mulberry St. closes
