| Lee Center School Building 2008 |
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Lee Center (population approx. 125) is located in the center of Lee County in north-central Illinois. A nearby city of note is Franklin Grove, located nine miles to the north on Whitney Road. Dixon is located 11 miles to the northwest. This is an unincorporated community with Inlet Road being the main roadway through town. It is situated 1 mile southeast of U.S. Route 30.
Lee Center has a fascinating and storied history. The following is a summary of a newspaper article located in the Dixon Telegraph Newspaper written on February 28, 1976 titled “Lee Center Inhabitants Set Up Village to Flee Bandits.”
In the early 1830s a small hamlet named “Inlet” was established along the Green River about 1.9 miles southeast of current day Lee Center. The location today is on Inlet Road near Diveley Rd just south of the Green River. Due its’ dense woods and hard to reach location the settlement soon became a haven for the worst society in Illinois at that time had to offer. It is said that Inlet became a hideout and a hangout for many thieves and even murderers, some from out of state. This small village had multiple murders occur (according to the article) in which the killer was never identified or apprehended. This caused the few upstanding citizens of Inlet to relocate about 2 miles northwest of Inlet. They started their own settlement which they named Lee Center due to it’s location in the newly formed Lee County. For the next 10-15 years there was a sort of rivalry between the two towns of Lee Center and Inlet. A group of men banded together and forced most of the bad actors to leave Inlet and the immediate area. Inlet slowly faded away and Lee Center began to flourish. Three historic buildings remain in Lee Center and are located on Inlet Road. The Three-Bottle Inn, built in the 1839, remains and is now a private residence. The Congregational Church, built in the 1856, remains and is still in operation. The Masonic Temple, built in 1913, also remains standing however does not appear to be currently in use. (See photos below.)
The first school in Lee Center, which was also the first building constructed in the town, was held in a log cabin built in 1836. In 1846 town residents decided to create a school of higher learning and began plans to erect the Lee Center Union Academy. The Academy building, made of brick and mud, was finished in 1848 and classes began that Fall. During the 1850s Lee Center Union Academy gained great notoriety as being one of the premier educational institutes in the area, possibly in all of northern Illinois. Students arrived from as far away as Rockford and Mt. Morris, both of whom had established similar educational facilities. It is stated that some students even attended from out of state, no small feat in the 1850s! Enrollment hit a peak of 200 students with 4 instructors.
Lee Center Union Academy operated under this capacity until 1859 when it was consolidated with Lee Center Union Grade School to form Public School District #1. The original brick building (see photo below) was used until a new school building was constructed in 1909. This building burned down in 1931. A new, brick school building was erected and ready for use in 1934. The grades 1-12 school continued to sustain itself through the early 1950s. It was in 1956 that the decision was made to close the Lee Center School District. The District would consolidate with Franklin Grove School District to form the Franklin Center School District. The high school and upper grades of the grade school were held in Franklin Grove.
Lee Center’s school building would host grades 1-8 for many years for the new school arrangement as well as harbor the School District #271 (covering Paw Paw, Franklin Grove, and Lee Center) administrative faculty. The Lee Center school later held classes only for grades 1-3 through at least the 1970s. It has been difficult to find the year in which the school in Lee Center ceased being utilized as a school. One article states the school building was repurposed as an apartment building in the 1990s. This situation did not work out and eventually the building was left abandoned. The building was sold to a private citizen in 2018. However in 2022 Lee County officials condemned the building due to its’ dilapidated condition. The Lee Center School Building, constructed in 1936, is destined to be demolished in the near future.
Franklin Center High School consolidated with Ashton High School in 2004. Lee Center children attend Franklin Grove Elementary school while older children attend Ashton-Franklin Center High School in Ashton, located 14 miles to the north-northeast.
The 1936 Lee Center school building is still standing as of May of 2025, covered by trees and bushes. An aerial view shows the roof of the structure is caving in as well. The two posts for the front entrance located near Inlet road were dedicated by the Lee Center High School class of 1946. Hopefully these posts will form the basis for a school memorial someday.
Lee Center High School “Quick Facts”:
Year Opened: 1847 (Lee Center Union Academy)
Year Closed: 1956
School Colors: Scarlet & Gray
School Mascot: the “Bulldogs”
School Song: unavailable
ATHLETICS
Lee Center High School offered Basketball, and may have offered a track or baseball program for a short time. We would like to add many more items about the Lee Center High School athletic program including school fight song. If you have a photo of a sports team from LCHS we would like to add that as well. Season records, coaches’ names, and other items are all being sought.
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BOYS BASKETBALL
. LCHS won four athletic championships on the state level. All four were in Boys Basketball. Coach’s names and team records are needed. Postseason IHSA basketball scores were found on a website titled “Illinois Postseason Basketball Scores.”
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1921-22 Rockford District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. Lost to Hebron 28-20
Rockford beat New Milford in title game
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1930-31 Dixon District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. Lost to Lyndon 20-11
Sterling beat Rock Falls in title game.
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1931-32 Sterling District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Franklin Grove 36-14
2nd Rd lost to Ohio 20-13.
Rock Falls beat Sterling in title game.
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1932-33 Sterling District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat West Brooklyn 28-9
2nd Rd lost to Paw Paw 28-19.
Sterling beat Rock Falls in title game.
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1933-34 Sterling District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. Lost to Tampico 54-12
Tampico lost in 2nd Rd.
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1934-35 Dixon District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. Lost to Ohio 40-9
Ohio lost in 2nd Rd.
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1935-36 Walnut District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. Lost to Walnut 31-12
Walnut lost in 2nd Rd.
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1936-37 Dixon Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
(Lee Center did not compete in District this season.)
1st Rd. – Beat Rock Falls 17-15
Semi-final – lost to Sterling 38-17
Sterling won Regional title
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1937-38 Franklin Grove District Champions! Coach’s name & record needed
Semi-Final Beat Leaf River 18-16
Title Game – Beat Byron 39-22
Oregon Regional Tournament
1st Rd lost to Stillman Valley 48-28.
Polo beat Mt. Morris in title game.
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1938-39 Franklin Grove District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Stillman Valley 23-21 (O/T)
Franklin Grove beat Stillman Valley in title game.
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1939-40 Byron District Champions! Coach Herbert Blodgett
Title Game Beat Leaf River 40-25
Oregon Regional Tournament
1st Rd Beat Polo 28-27
Semi-Final lost to Mt. Morris 14-11
Oregon beat Mt. Morris in title game.
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1940-41 Byron District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Steward 60-17
Semi-Final lost to Leaf River 36-20.
Byron beat Leaf River in title game.
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1941-42 Byron District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Byron 29-27.
Byron beat Stillman Valley in title game.
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1942-43 Sterling Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Sterling 47-27
Sterling lost in semi-final round
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1943-44 Franklin Grove District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Harmon 49-25
Semi-Final lost to Franklin Grove 34-30.
Lee beat Franklin Grove in title game.
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1944-45 Franklin Grove District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. – Beat West Brooklyn 66-18
Semi-final – Lost to Steward 41-26
Steward beat Lee in title game.
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1945-46 Franklin Grove District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
1st Rd. – Lost to West Brooklyn 30-26
West Brooklyn lost in semi-final round.
Steward beat Franklin Grove in title game.
WEST BROOKLYN (30): E. Gehant 10, J. Gehant 10, Sheridan 5, Ege 4, Hinkle 1.
LEE CENTER (26): B. Conibear 13, R. Delhotel 5, Ly. Delhotel 4, Le. Delhotel 2, Sondergrath 2.
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1946-47 Franklin Grove District Champions! Coach Glenn Davenport
Season record needed
District Tourney
Semi-final – Beat West Brooklyn
Title Game – Beat Steward 36-30
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Sterling 47-38
Sterling lost in semi-final round.
Rock Falls beat Dixon in title game.
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1947-48 Franklin Grove District Champions! Coach Glenn Davenport
Season record needed
District Tourney
Semi-final – Beat Compton 69-24
Title Game – Beat Steward 42-41
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Amboy 65-48
Amboy lost in semi-final round.
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1948-49 Franklin Grove District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Team Placed 2nd in District Tourney
Semi-final – Beat Compton 60-43
Title Game – Lost to Steward 30-26
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1949-50 Dixon Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Rock Falls 74-20
Rock Falls lost in title game
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1950-51 Sterling Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Sterling 94-15
Sterling won Regional Tourney
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1951-52 Dixon Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Amboy 58-43
Amboy lost in semi-final round.
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1952-53 Sterling Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Sterling Newman 68-42
Newman lost in semi-final round.
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1953-54 Dixon Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Dixon 112-51
Dixon lost in title game.
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1954-55 Rock Falls Regional Tournament Coach’s name & record needed
Lee Center did not compete in District
Regional Tourney
1st Rd. – Lost to Sterling 72-36
Sterling won Regional title.
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1955-56 Postseason scores, record, & coach’s name needed.
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Lee Center participated in the Green River Valley Conference against foes from the towns of Paw Paw, Compton, Kings, Steward, Lee, and Rollo.
Information on two of Lee Center High School’s District Championship teams was provided to us by Brian Hoxsey:
“In 1946-47 head coach Glenn Davenport led the Bulldogs to a district championship. Lee Center defeated Steward 36-30 in the district title game, and then dropped a 47-38 decision to Sterling in the regionals.
Davenport also led Lee Center to another District title the next season (1947-48).”
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EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
It is very likely that other activities were offered at Lee Center High School besides sports. Band, choir, FFA, FHA, and other clubs and activities were probably a part of the student life at LCHS. Please contact us via the means listed below if you have information on these and other activities at Lee Center HS.
Noteable Alumni
A.J. Streetor, an alum of the original Academy, ran for Governor of Illinois in 1880 for the Greenback Party.
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