Olive Branch High School “Branchers”

Olive Branch High School

Photo Courtesy of Howard Thomas

The History of Olive Branch High School

Olive Branch (population estimate 250) is an unincorporated town located in the far southwestern tip of Illinois.  The town was founded in 1876.  The town’s location is unique in that it is both three miles east and four miles northwest of the Mississippi River.  Illinois Route 3 runs directly through Olive Branch.  A line of the Missourri Pacific Railroad travels through Olive Branch.  The Jackson Creek also flows through this south-central Alexander County village.

The history of the town and its school is in need of research.  It is probable that a school was in lace for the town’s children by the late 1800s.  High school courses were probably offered by the early 1900s.  A brick school building, pictured above, was built in 1922 and housed grades 1 – 12. Olive Branch High School served its community for several years.  In 1947 the high school portion of Olive Branch school district was deactivated.  The children of Olive Branch attended either Tamms or Thebes  for their high school education at that point.

Tamms and Thebes joined into a consolidation effort in 1967 to create the Egyptian School District.The high school for the Egyptian School District was located in Tamms.  Olive Branch may have maintained a grade school in their town for a few years however it is not believed this is still the case.  The fate of the Olive Branch High School building is being sought.

Olive Branch High School Quick Facts

Year opened:                                early 1900s

Year Brick HS buiilding built:         1922

Year HS closed:                           1947

Consolidated to:                           Children went to Tamms or Thebes School District

Olive Branch HS team nickname:  the “Branchers”

OBHS team colors:                     Gold & Blue

OBHS School Fight Song:            unavailable