Biggsville (population 343) is located on U.S. Route 34 at the intersection with Il. Route 94 in northern Henderson County. This places Biggsville about 14 miles southwest of Monmouth. The BNSF Railroad runs through the town and the South Henderson Creek loops over the north side of town.
Gladstone (population 284) is located on Il. Route 164 one mile north of US. Route 34 in northern Henderson County. Other location landmarks include being approximately 20 miles southwest of Monmouth and five miles east of the Mississippi River. The BNSF Railroad runs through town and the South Henderson Creek also is a part of the village’s history.
Oquawka (population 1,539) is situated on the banks of the Mississippi River in far western Henderson County. Il. Route 164 is the main highway in town. A larger town of note in the area is Monmouth which sits 16 miles east of Oquawka. More information is being sought regarding the town’s history.
Gulfport (population 207) is located in the same area, upper-western Illinois. The town is located right on the banks of the Mississippi River in west-central Henderson County. U.S. Route 34 is the main roadway connecting Gulf Port to the rest of Illinios and Iowa. The At & St Railroad travels through town. Orchard City Lake sits on the southeast side of town. Gulf Port is located about 20 miles southwest of Monmouth.
Gladstone-Oquawka High School was established in the late 1940s to early 1950s. Biggsville had a high school in place by the late 1800s. Gulf Port’s situation is in need of research regarding its educational system. It was in 1960 that these four towns entered into a consolidation effort of the high schools of Biggsville and Gladsone-Oquawka High Schools. This effort led to the creation of the Union School District.
The high school for the Union District was located near BIggsville. The building served these communities for about 45 years. It was in 2005 that Biggsville Union High agreed to consolidate their educational efforts with its neighbor from the south, Stronghurst Southern High School. The new District was named the West Central School District.
Biggsville Union HS is the home to West Central High School.
Biggsville Union High School Quick Facts
Year opened: 1960
Year closed: 2005
Consolidated to: West Central School District (Biggsville)
Union HS team nickname: the “Yankees”
UHS team colors: Red, White, & Blue
School Fight Song: “It’s a Grand Old School”
Sung to the Tune of “Its a Grand Old School”
Thank you to Roni Danner Miller (UHS Class of 1981)
Lyrics from Justin E. Parsons
It’s a grand old school,
It’s a victorious school,
And forever will it’s colors wave.
It’s the emblem of the school we love,
In the home of the free and the brave.
Every heart beats true for the red, white, and blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
Should all aquaintance be forgot,
When the old Union High is here!
The Union Grade School Fight Song was sung to the tune of “on Wisconsin” and was provided by Justin Parsons. Click on the play button below and sing along!
On you Yankees
On you Yankees
Fight for victory!
We’re behind you
And we’ll find you
Number one you’ll see!
Always fighting
Always striving
We’re so proud of you!
Keep Fighting Yankees
For that Red, White, & Blue!
Yankee Emblem of Union High School
Submitted by Justin Parsons
Athletics
The boys were competitive in basketball, football, track, and possibly baseball. The girls competed in basketball, volleyball, track, and possibly softball. We are in need of the school fight song and some of the better team records, and great stories, of the history of the Biggsville Union Yankees.
Sarah Seitz-Bigger sent us this information about the Bi-County Conference that
Two Regional Championships hi-lited the Yankee hardwod court success. The better season records attained by the BUHS boys as found on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) are listed below.
1960-61 21 – 4 Macomb Regional Tourney Coach J. Reynolds
1st Rd Beat Stronghurst 72-59
Semi-final Monmouth 64-51
Monmouth beat Macomb in title game
1961-62 20 – 4 Macomb Regional Tourney Coach J. Reynolds
1st Rd Beat Abingdon 61-56
Semi-final Galesburg 91-52
Galesburg beat Monmouth in title game
1962-63 Bushnell Regional Tourney Coach J. Reynolds
1st Rd lost to Galesburg 57-49
Galesburg beat Abindon in title game
1963-64 Postseason scores & record needed. Coach J. Reynolds
1964-65 Sciota District Tourney Coach J. Reynolds
1st Rd lost to Roseville 79-65
Macomb Western beat Sciota NW in title game
1965-66 Postseason scores & record needed. Coach J. Reynolds
1966-67 Postseason scores & record needed. Coach J. Reynolds
1967-68 Stronghurst District Tourney Coach J. Reynolds
1st Rd lost to Macomb Western 91-54
Macomb Western beat Stronghurst in title game
1968-69 Sciota District Tourney Coach J. Reynolds
1st Rd lost to Avon
Roseville beat Sciota NW in title game
1969-70 Stronghurst District Tourney Coach J. Rima
1st Rd lost to Roseville 54-36
Roseville beat Stronghurst in title game
1970-71 17 – 5 Macomb Regional Tournament Coach J. Rima
1st Rd lost to Knoxville 82-38
Macomb Beat Galesburg in title game
1971-72 16 – 7 Sciota Class ‘A’ Regional Coach J. Rima
1st Rd lost to Roseville 80-66
Bushnell-Prairie City beat Roseville in title game.
1972-73 10 – 10 Sciota Class ‘A’ Regional Coach J. Rima
1st Rd lost to Stronghurst Southern 83-66
Bushnell-Prairie City beat Stronghurst Southern in title game
1973-74 Sciota Class ‘A’ Regional Coach J. Rima
1st Rd lost to Stronghurst Southern 60-48
Sciota NW beat Bushnell-Prairie City in title game
1974-75 14 – 10 Sciota Class ‘A’ Regional Coach J. Rima
1st Rd lost to Avon 59-55
Bushnell-Prairie City beat Sciota NW in title game
1975-76 16 – 8Sciota Class ‘A’ Regional Runner-UpCoach J. Rima
1st Rd Beat Roseville 74-53
Semi-final Beat Stronghurst Southern 69-58
Title game lost to Bushnell-Prairie City 49-41
1976-77 Roseville Class ‘A’ Regional Coach T. Avery
1st Rd lost to B-PC 55-52
Stonghurst Southern beat Bushnell-Prairie City in title game
1977-78 London Mills Class ‘A’ Regional Coach D. Renwick
1st Rd lost to Sciota NW 85-40
B-PC beat Valley in title game
1978-79 12 – 12 Macomb Regional Tourney Coach D. Renwick
1st Rd Beat Avon 62-57
Semi-final lost to B-PC 93-58
Bushnell-Prairie City beat Stronghurst Southern in title game
1979-80 Roseville Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Dan Dillard
1st Rd lost to Valley 74-42
Sciota NW beat Bushnell-Prairie City in title game
1980-81 London Mills Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Dan Dillard
1st Rd Beat B-PC 65-64
Semi-Final lost to Roseville 77-63
Farmington beat Roseville in title game
1981-82 20 – 7 Roseville Regional Champions Coach Dan Dillard
1st Rd Beat Spoon River Valley 65-51
Semi-Final Beat Abingdon 50-48
Title Game Beat Roseville 59-49
Sherrard Class ‘A’ Sectional Tourney
Semi-Final Beat Williamsfield 55-53
BIGGSVILLE UNION (55): Gray 21, Simpson 12, J. Johnson 8, T. Johnson 6, Hamilton 6, Gray 2, Ferguson 2.
WILLIAMSFIELD (53): Moore 22, Howard 19, McClellan 6, Lunberry 6, Newell 2.
Title Game Lost to Monmouth 61-42
MONMOUTH (61): Hayes 16, Biasi 15, Miller 13, Birditt 9, McCurdy 5, Lovdahl 2, Kinney 1.
BIGGSVILLE UNION (42): Simpson 13, J. Johnson 11, Hamilton 6, Ferguson 5, P. Gray 5, J. Gray 2.
NOTE: Monmouth went on to a 2nd place finish in the state tournament losing to Lawrenceville.
1982-83 Abingdon Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Russ Galusha
1st Rd lost to Stronghurst Southern 59-44
Abingdon beat Southern in title game
1983-84 Roseville Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Russ Galusha
2000-01 Alexis Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Craig Rima
1st Rd lost to Alexis 47-42
2001-02 Roseville Class ‘A’ Regional Coach Craig Rima
1st Rd lost to Roseville 67-39
2002-03 Monmouth Class ‘A’ Regional Coach John Vandenburg
1st Rd lost to Monmouth Yorkwood 65-46
2003-04 Alexis Class ‘A’ Regional Coach John Vandenburg
**1st Rd lost to Monmouth 69-59
**Final boys varsity basketball game for Biggsville Union High School.
Girls Volleyball
The Lady Yankee netters, after some tough early years, developed a great volleyball program in the 1990s:
The BUHS girls won a total of six Regional titles, five in the 1990s!
They won four straight Lincoln Trail Conference championships from 1998 to 2001! The Lady Yankees also won the LTC Tournament three straight times from 1999 to 2001!
The Union Yankees made three trips to the IHSA State Football playoffs. They made the most of their opportunity in 1981, making all the way to the Championship Game before falling to finish 12 – 1!! The Yankee grid iron hi-lites are listed below, at least those from 1975 through 2004.
1975-76 Coach Joe Jake
1976-80 Coach Dale Grawe
1980-81 7 – 2 Coach Dan Dillard
1981-82 12 – 1 IHSA CLASS 2A RUNNER-UP!! Coach Dan Dillard
In a October 23, 1992 game against Monmouth Warren, their regular season finale, Union’s Brandon Clark recovered a fumble and ran 92 yards for a touchdown, setting a school record for such a run.
Biggsville Union High School Football Field 2020
Biggsvile Union HS Football Scoreboard 2020
Boys Golf
From the “where there’s a will, there’s a way” category of life:
Biggsville Union did not have a notable golf program per say, however one athlete represtented the school incredibly well in the sport. Does the name Todd Hamilton ring a bell to any of you sports fans? Todd Hamiltonwon the IHSA State Class A Individual Championship in consecutive years in 1981-82 and 1982-83, his junior and senior years. Todd’s career did not fade away there. He went on to a career on the Professional Golf Association Tour, and was crowned Champion of the British Open in 2004!
1981-82 Todd Hamilton IHSA Class A STATE CHAMPION!!
1982-83 Todd Hamilton IHSA Class A STATE CHAMPION!!
Boys Track & Field
One male athlete brought home a medal from the IHSA Class A State Track Meet!
1974-75A Rod Slover Long Jump 3RD Place
Girls Track & Field
The Lady Yankee tracksters had four different girls bring home a total of 14 medals from the IHSA State Meet. Megan Shutwell led the way with a total of NINE individual medals won in her career. This includes at least two in each of her last three years of high school!! Stephanie Higgins faired well too winning two medals each in two different seasons.
The efforts of Megan Shutwell and Stephanie Higgins led the Lady Yankee thinclads to a SEVENTH PLACE FINISH in the 2000-01 State Class A Track Meet!!
1993-94 Tara Rice Shot Put 8TH Place
1998-99 Megan Shutwell 100 Meter Dash 8TH Place
400 Meter Dash 5TH Place
1999-00 Megan Shutwell 100 Meter Dash 7TH Place
200 Meter Dash 7TH Place
400 Meter Dash 4TH Place
2000-01 Team Finished SEVENTH in STATE MEET Competition!!
Individual Medalists
Megan Shutwell 100 Meter Dash 7TH Place
200 Meter Dash 9TH Place
400 Meter Dash 4TH Place
Long Jump 7TH Place
Stephanie Higgins High Jump 4TH Place
Triple Jump 3RD Place
Final Team Standings
1) Elmhurst (Timothy Christian) 63
2) South Holland (Seton Academy) 37
3) Braidwood (Reed-Custer) 34½
4) Kewanee (Wethersfield) 31
5) Aurora (Central Catholic) 28
6) Wheaton (St. Francis) 27
7) BIGGSVILLE UNION HIGH SCHOOL 26
7) Milledgeville 26
9) Eureka 24
9) St. Joseph (S.J.-Ogden) 24
2001-02 Stephanie Higgins High Jump 2ND Place
Triple Jump 3RD Place
Girls Golf
BUHS had a successful Girls Golf program during the turn of the 21st century. They won two Lincoln Trail Conference championships during that time.
1999-00 LTC Champions
2001-02 LTC Champions
MEMORIES
From Justin E. Parsons (Class of 2001):
“I was a student at Union High School from 1997-2001. I mainly remember the rivalry between Union and Southern. We always talked about how much we hated Southern, but we never really had a reason why. For most of us it was just passed down from our parents since that was how it’s been for years.
I was a Senior when both Union and Southern school districts started talking about co-oping for sports. I was fairly on the fence, but leaned more towards no. Mainly due to the fact that I was afraid someone was going to be better than me in the Shot-Put in track.
It was later that we realized that there wasn’t going to be a co-op in sports, but instead, a consolidation of both schools. We found out that it wouldn’t happen until much later, after I graduated.
I will say, I do miss Union High School. It still doesn’t seem right to not have a Union vs. Southern rivalry. I know I’m not the only one.”
Seeking Your Assistance
If you have ANY further information about Biggsville Union High School, please share it with us. Special thank you to Patrick Devitt for his contributions to this page. Photos and information can be e-mailed to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net. You can write to us via real mail at:
Illinois HS Glory Days
6439 N. Neva St.
Chicago, Il. 60631
