The History of Camp Point Maplewood High School
Camp Point (population 1,244) is located in west-central Illinois in the north-central portion of Adams County. Camp Point is about 25 miles northeast of Quincy. U.S. Highway 24 is the main roadway to and from Camp Point. County Road E 2300th Street also passes through Camp Point. The Burlington Northern & Sante Fe Railroad line passes through town as well. The name of the town of Camp Point was established as follows according to the book titled “Place Names of Illinois” by Edward Callary. The town was originally called Garrett’s Mill after a grist mill owner named Peter Garrett. The town name was eventually changed to Camp Point as there was a nearby grove of trees that stretched from the town’s edge far into the plains. This grove of trees was thought to be a Native American campground. The web address of http://history.rays-place.com/il/adams-camp-point.htm provides a great deal of historical information regarding the town of Camp Point. The information is taken from a book titled “Quincy and Adams County, History and Representative Men” written by David F. Wilcox and published in 1919. In summary, this article states the following: The area in whcih Camp Point is located was first settled in the late 1820s. Camp Point was platted in 1855 along the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad line. The town was so named as it was originally a Native American settlement known as “Indian Camp Point” by the new settlers. The area had a small river and an abundance of trees making it an excellent camp ground. Many businesses soon sprung up. The first school in the town was established in 1855. Camp Point was known through out the area as having an excellent eductonal system early on. In 1866 property was purchased with the intention of building a “graded school building.” The three story building was completed in 1867. The grounds on which the building was erected was full of maplewood trees. The school was aptly named “Maplewood High School.” The school was well-known in all parts of the area. The school continued to excel well into the 1900s. As of the writing of the previously mentioned article, Maplewood High School had 350 students in 1919.
Maplewood High School became the name of the Camp Point high school building which continued to serve the community through the late 1940s. It is probable that the school became known simply as Camp Point High School at some point in the 1920s – 1940s. We believe that in the late 1940s (possibly the early 1950s) the three-year schools in the area of Camp Point were forced to close due to a new state law abolishing all two and three-year high schools. The high schools in Clayton, Coatsburg, Golden and La Prarie joined in a consolidation effort with Camp Point to create the Camp Point Central School District which became a reality in the summer of 1951. It is believed all of these schools continued to hold their own graduation ceremonies until the new school was completed in Camp Point prior to the start of the 1955-56 school year. Though all of the schools held their own graduation ceremoies the diplomas they were issued read “Central School District.” The kids of Camp Point continue to attend the high school as part of the Central School District today. To read more about the history of the town of Camp Point and Maplewood High School please visit the following website address: http://history.rays-place.com/il/adams-camp-point.htm Camp Point High School Quick Facts Year opened: 1867 Year became Central School Dist. 1951 Consolidated to: Camp Point Central School District Camp Point HS team nickname: “Pointers” Camp Point HS team colors: Black & Orange School Fight Song: (needed) |
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