Mt. Prospect's historic Central School gets a new home

June Wittmeyer, 87, watched from a grassy parkway along Busse Avenue in Mount Prospect Wednesday as the 105,000-pound Central School passed by, recalling how, in 1927, she sat at her desk in the one-room school.

The 1896 building, Mount Prospect's oldest public structure and the site of many key events in village history, had been hoisted on blocks a week before in preparation for a one-mile journey to its new location next to the Mount Prospect Historical Society. Scores of residents like Wittmeyer lined the streets as it made its journey through the village.

In 1927, she'd walk to the school, which was heated by a wood-burning stove. She'd store her coat in a cloak room near the front door. About 50 kids, ages 6 to 13, were taught by Miss Butler.

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"Mostly I recall the cloak rooms -- one for the boys and one for the girls," Wittmeyer said.

Bill Shillington of Mount Prospect brought his 5-year-old grandson, Connor Parks. Connor is so into buildings that last Halloween, he dressed up in a public works costume.

"It's an adventure for Connor," Shillington said. "I came down here just so he could see it."

After six years of fundraising, Central School finally made its way to its newest home to the great relief of the society's executive director, Gavin Kleespies, who spearheaded the effort to save the building, which was in danger of being demolished.

"Right now, I'm vaguely sick," he said as the wobbly truck carrying the school made its final approach to a newly poured foundation where it will be placed next week.

The school will sit next to the foundation on a grassy area until the concrete sets. Then, it will be hoisted over the concrete and placed on it, he said. Its new address will be 103 Main St.

"We are preserving history and giving the school a new life," said Mayor Irvana Wilks.

About 10:30 a.m., the schoolhouse began its journey from 201 N. Wille St. It lasted about three hours. The building moved east on Thayer Street to Main Street, then south on Main Street to Busse Avenue where it turned east, traveled past South Maple Street and then crossed over the back lot of the historical society.

All went as planned, except for occasional stubborn tree branches that scraped the building, breaking off every so often.

With the move accomplished, the historical society plans to restore the building to its role as a community center, Kleespies said.

The society purchased the building from the owner, St. John's Episcopal Church, for $1. The church had wanted the land where the school sits for other uses, including a parking lot, Kleespies said.

The historical society, an independent nonprofit organization, has been fundraising to save the building since 2002.

The cost of moving the school, including constructing a new foundation and relocating utilities, will be about $250,000, he said.

About that same amount will be required to renovate the building, so the society will continue to raise funds, he said.

Mount Prospect's first school, the vintage Italianate building was listed on Landmarks Illinois' Chicagoland Watch List for 2007-08.

It has seen many transformations in the past 112 years.

It was the first home of the Mount Prospect Public Library, Mount Prospect Elementary District 57, the fire department, three local churches (St. John's, St. Paul Lutheran and South), the women's club and even the first movie screen.

The letters of incorporation, legally forming the village, were signed inside the building in 1917.