Demolition begins on historic schoolhouse in Hoffman Estates

Within a matter of hours, the historic Lindbergh schoolhouse in Hoffman Estates will be just that - history.

Demolition has begun on the 78-year-old schoolhouse, with a wrecking crew methodically working this morning to raze the limestone structure.

So far, the building's western wall has been removed and its bell tower dismantled.

Several police squad cars were on the scene this morning along Shoe Factory Road in far western Hoffman Estates, but it remained peaceful, with only a few people watching.

The school, named for the famed aviator, housed students of all ages when it was still mostly a rural area outside Elgin and long before the suburbs had begun to encroach from the east.

The building later was a private residence.

But as development crept into the area, and as the schoolhouse deteriorated and became a target for vandals, pressure mounted to tear it down even as history buffs sought to save the school.

That effort had some success - about a decade ago, the village and developers announced the building would be saved. But since then, proponents of tearing it down said no viable option for saving the structure has ever been put forward.