Golden High School “Eagles”

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Golden High School
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Courtesy of Lois Allen
Golden Water Tower 2016
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The History of Golden High School

Golden (population 629) is located in western Illinois in the northeast corner of Adams County.  Il. Route 94 is the main drag through town and connects it to U.S. Route 24 four miles to the south. Golden is located about 20 miles northeast of Quincy.  The At & St Railroad lays its tracks through Golden and a branch of the South Fork of Bear Creek also babbles into Golden.

The town was platted in 1855 and originally called LaBuda.  Shortly afterward the name was changed to Keokuk Junction.  Residents soon found it a problem when several items of mail were forwarded to Keokuk, Iowa.  The town name was then changed to Golden. A great site to read about the town and school history can be found at the following web address: http://www.rootsweb.com/~iladams/franken/neweastfriesland.html .

The school system was set into motion shortly after the town’s establishment.  The high school was established in the late 1800s. It was a strong school with great community backing. The school lasted for approximately six decades. Sometime between 1951 and 1955 the Camp Point Central School District was established.  Golden is now a part of that school district however it is not clear as to the exact year they joined forces.  The first year listed for any sport on the IHSA web site (www.ihsa.org) for Camp Point Central High is boys baseball in 1955. The last year mentioned for Golden High School is in boys basketball for the 1950-51 season.

Golden High School – Original Building 1896
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Courtesy of Lois Allen
Golden School Bell Memorial – “1898 – 1975”
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Pictured at the bottom of this page is the Golden Central Middle School. It is built on the grounds where the original high school building, built in 1896 and demolished in 1956, once stood.

The village of Golden is also home to the Prairie Mills Windmill. To read more about this unique piece of history check out http://www.goldenwindmill.org/ . For more on Golden also visit http://www.greatriverroad.com/quincy/golden.htm .

Golden High School Quick Facts

Year opened:                late 1800s

Year closed:                 1951?

School nickname:         the “Eagles”

School colors:              Purple & Gold

School newspaper:       “The Golden Light Flashes”

School Yearbook:         “Golden Reflections”

School Fight Song:       unavailable
Athletics

Golden High School excelled in boys basketball.  It is probable that the school also offered baseball and track. Basketball however is the only sport gaining attention on the IHSA web site.  If you have any further information on the Golden HS athletic program please write and share it with us.

Boys Basketball

One ten year period proved to be “golden” at Golden High School.  From 1938 to 1947 the Golden High School boys won 7 of the 10 District titles they challenged for.  Included in this was a run a four consective championships from 1938 to 1941.  Was it the coaching, a great run of competitive athletes, or a combination of both?  The years of the District Championships are listed below however the records and coaches names are not available.

Scores involving Golden High School were located on a website titled “Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores” found at the following web address:  https://sites.google.com/site/xtmi2000/

1921-22       Quincy District Tournament               Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Hull 30-24

Kinderhook beat New Salem in title game.

1932-33       Quincy District Tournament               Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Quincy 62-7

Quincy beat Hamilton in title game

1933-34       Quincy District Tournament               Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Clayton 27-13

Quincy beat Hamilton in title game

Quincy won State Championship!

1934-35       Quincy District Tournament               Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Loraine 38-14

2nd Rd lost to Quincy 32-20

Quincy beat Camp Point in title game

Quincy lost in Elite 8 Rd.

1935-36       Camp Point District Tournament        Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Timewell 43-13

Augusta beat Timewell in title game

1936-37       Quincy Regional Tournament            Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Payson 26-20

Semi-final lost to Quincy 48-11

Quincy beat Clayton in title game

1937-38       Golden District Champions              Coach’s name & record needed.

Early Round Scores Needed

                    Title Game Beat Liberty 52-29

                    IHSA Regional Qualifier

                    Regional Scores Needed

 

1938-39       IHSA District Champions                  Coach’s name & record needed.

District Scores Needed

                    Mendon Regional Qualifier

                    1st Rd Beat Clayton 36-35

                    Semi-final lost to Mendon 35-20

Mendon beat Quincy in title game

1939-40       Golden District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed.

Early Round Scores Needed

                    Title Game Beat Liberty 52-29

                    Mendon Regional Qualifier

                    1st Rd Beat Kinderhook 43-28

                    Semi-final lost to Quincy 42-31

Quincy beat Camp Point in title game

1940-41       Golden District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed.

Semi-Final  Beat Loraine 35-30

                    Title Game Beat LaPrairie 31-13

                    Mendon Regional Qualifier

                    1st Rd Beat Payson 38-36

                    Semi-final lost to Quincy 23-22

Camp Point Beat Quincy in title game

1941-42       Golden District Runner-Up                    Coach’s name & record needed

Early Round Scores Needed

Title Game lost to Clayton 21-17

  

1942-43       Golden District Champions               Coach’s name & record needed.

Semi-Final  Beat Lima 23-11

                    Title Game Beat LaPrairie 23-22

                    Mendon Regional Qualifier

                    1st Rd lost to Liberty 39-10

                    Quincy beat Liberty in title game

Quincy lost in Sweet 16 Rd.

1943-44       Golden District Tournament                 Coach’s name & record needed.

Golden scores needed

Kinderhook beat LaPrairie in title game

1944-45       Liberty Regional Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed.

(Golden hosted District, did not participate)

1st Rd lost to Quincy Notre Dame 49-26

Quincy beat QND in title game.

Quincy placed 3rd In IHSA State Tourney.

1945-46        Golden District Champions             Coach’s name & record needed.

Early Rd Scores Needed

                     Title Game Beat Ursa 60-21

                     Quincy Regional Tournament

                     1st Rd lost to Camp Point 46-45

Quincy beat Camp Point in title game

Quincy lost in Sweet 16 Rd.    

         

1946-47        IHSA District Champions                 Coach’s name & record needed.

District Scores Needed

                     Liberty Regional Tournament

                     1st Rd Beat Quincy Notre Dame 45-43

                     Semi-Final lost to Clayton 37-26

Quincy beat Clayton in title game

1947-48        Beardstown Regional Runner-Up!  Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Camden 125-15

                     Semi-final Beat Rushville 59-57 (O/T)

                     Title Game lost to Beardstown 78-59

BEARDSTOWN (78): Elmore 29, Fischer 24, Baujan 16, Varley 5, Bingham 4.

GOLDEN (59): W. Hanke 22, Nolty 19, Patton 9, Muller 4, R Hanke 3, Ihnen 2.

1948-49        Liberty Regional Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd lost to Quincy Notre Dame 57-42

Quincy beat Camp Point in title game.

1949-50        Quincy Regional Tournament            Coach’s name & record needed.

1st Rd Beat Liberty 39-36

Semi-final lost to Payson 52-39

Quincy beat Payson in title game

Quincy lost in Elite 8 Rd.

1950-51         Liberty Regional Tournament              Coach’s name & record needed.

*1st Rd lost to Payson 46-30

Quincy beat QND in title game.

Quincy placed 3rd in IHSA State Tournament

*Possibly the last game played by Golden High School. No further scores were located on the Illinois Postseason High School Basketball Scores website.

Memories

From Lois Musick Allen (Class of 1945):

“The picture on the web site is of a grade school which replaced the high school. It was built on the same site, and I have a brick from the original building.  I have a picture of the high school taken soon after it was built in 1896 and a picture which I took in 1941.  By that time an addition had been built on to the back side and enlarged the building considerably. My four years in high school coincided

with World War II, and school trips were restricted and we bought war bonds and collected scrap metal for the war effort. Thanks for bringing back so many good memories.”

**From Brian Ogden:

“…my grandmother, Violet F. Ogden (Beer), graduated in the class of 1924 from Golden High School. She had a wonderfully long and healthy life. Born 1908 in Golden and died in 2010 at the age of 102 1/2 in Washington State. I wonder if there is any list of her classmates or if they had year books back then, would love to see some pictures.”

Violet Ogden Beers, Golden HS Class of 1924
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Submitted by Brian Ogden

Searching for More Information

Help us remember the many accomplishments of Golden High School.  There are many questions to be answered and many items of interest to add to this page. A photo of the original high school is always a great addition.  You can e-mail items and iformation to us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.  You can also write to us at:

Illinois HS Glory Days

6439 N. Neva St.

Chicago, Il.   60631

Golden Central Grade School 2016
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Golden, Illinois
 


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