• A visit to Union 2013. If you grew up in Union, West Virginia and you have not been able to return to Monroe County recently, chances are you will enjoy a little tour of Union and the area.

    View a Picture Tour of Union & Monroe County.



Memories

UHS History


In 1903, the second Union Academy, located on Elmwood Street in Union, West Virginia, served as the high school. The Union Academy closed in 1910 and the new Union High School was organized.

The Second Union Academy

 

The picture below was taken  in the early 1900′s showing students on the front porch of the Academy.

Second Union Academy Students

In 1910 an addition was made to the Union Elementary School which was built in 1874, and this new addition became Union High School. The first graduating class at Union High School was the Class of 1911. The first senior class consisted of three students, which were transfers from the Union Academy.

 

Union High School and Union Elementary School combined - 1911

 

Union High School was destroyed by a tornado in May of 1921.

Tornado hits Union High-Elmenentary school

1921 Union High School

 

The school was rebuilt in 1921 and the Union High School was in the upper level and the Union Elementary was in the lower level.

 

First Union High School

Union High School and Union Elementary School as it looked in the year of 1921.

 

In 1939, a new Union High School was erected. The Monroe County Board of Education purchased land from the Davidson heirs (Mary Davidson) in April of 1939. Additional parcels of property were purchased from Albert S. and Izzie Johnston, Henry and Fannie Wikel and James and Emma Roles. These properties comprised the land on which the high school and playing fields were situated from 1939 until its closure in June of 1994. The new Union High School consisted of grades 7 thru 12. The old building remained as the Union Elementary School.

 

Union High School

1939 Union High School

 

In the 1940’s, a cafeteria-vocational building addition pictured below was constructed behind the main facility. This was a two-story structure which was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1948.

 

First Vo-Ag Building

The building as it looked in the 1940’s.

 

After the fire, classes were held on the stage in the main building. Then an additional wing was added to the back of the original building, adding a library to the facility. Other additions were made in the following years.

This facility served as Union High School until it closed in 1994.

Union High School

Union High School

The Last Year – 1994

The Road to Union High School

The Road to Union High School

 

The Last Days at Union High School

The Last Days at Union High School

 

The Last Homecoming Dance

The Last Homecoming - The Last Homecoming Dance

 

The Last Varsity Football Team

The Last Football Team - The Last Football Game

 

The Last Prom - The Last Dance

The Last Prom - The Last Dance

 

The Last Graduation Day

The Last Graduation Day

 

The Last Graduation - The Last Walk

The Last Graduation - The Last Walk

 

The Last Graduation - The Journey Ends

The Last Graduation - The Journey Ends

 

Quiet Memories of Union High School

Quiet Memories of Union High School

A Farewell To Union High School

The Alumni of Union High School will always cherish the memories of our school days at UHS for over fifty years. The “End of the Road” came for Union High School in 1994, when the doors were closed forever!

End of the Road

Union High School - "End of the Road"

The Building was razed in 1997.

 

Union High School Demolished

“The Winds of Change”

Submitted by the Monroe Watchman (the pictures and most of the text).

Union High School was erected in 1939, by the Administration of Public Works during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. On Saturday, May 24, 1997, a torch was applied to the Vo-Ag building at the Union High School Complex. The contractor responsible for the demolition of the building had, in an effort to minimize both time and cost, decided to burn as much of the structure as possible before dismantling the remainder. The main portion of the High School was soon razed as well, to make room for the construction of the new middle school.

Vo-Ag Buildings burns in 1997

Vo-Ag Buildings burns in 1997

The controlled burn was accomplished by the combined efforts of the fire departments of Union, Alderson, Lindside, Ballard, Ronceverte and Fairlea. The job was completed without mishap, with the exception of the fact that a shower of ashes rained down upon the town. The picture below shows the gloom and sadness of the remains of our school building after it had been burned.

Main building burns in 1997.

Main building burns in 1997.

For those who count themselves among the alumni of Union High School, the memory of the passing of this institution will remain ever so slightly bitter.

 

The Union High School Cornerstone

The cornerstone for Union High School built in 1939 was located on the wall, at the entrance door, on the left side of the building. The cornerstone contained the following inscription.

The Union High School Cornerstone

The Union High School Cornerstone

UNION HIGH SCHOOL
Erected — 1939
by the
Board of Education
in the
County of Monroe
West Virginia
Board of Education
R. D. Nickell, President
W. O. Raines
E. I. Terry
A. S. Thompson
W.B. Fullen
Guy H. Biggs, Superintendent
Walter F. Martens, Architect
E. H. and E. M. Couch, Contractors

Union High and Elementary School Cornerstone

Union Elementary was built in 1874 and in 1910 the High School extension was added. However, in May 1921, a tornado destroyed this building. In 1921, a new building was erected for Union High School and Union Elementary. The cornerstone contained the following inscription.

Cornerstone

Union High and Elementary School Cornerstone

UNION DISTRICT
HIGH AND GRADED SCHOOL
Erected 1921 by J. W. Fisher
Board of Education
A. S. Johnston, President – W. D. Givens
H. L. Crawford, Secretary – J. C. Parker