The History of Averyville/Peoria Kingman High School Averyville is currently a neighborhood in the city of Peoria, located along Adams Avenue (Ill. Rt. 29/US Rt. 24) south of War Memorial Drive (US Rt. 150). Averyville was an early settlement along the Illinois River near the original town of Peoria. Averyville had a population of 1,573 in the 1900 census and grew to 2,668 in the 1910 census. The final census on record for Averyville was the 3,815 residents tallied for in 1920. As Peoria prospered and grew, the town of Averyville was swallowed up by Peoria’s vast expanse during the 1920’s. There were a couple of school buildings in Averyville during the 1800’s. The latest Averyville School was built in 1902 and located on Madison Avenue. Enrollment in 1903 was 11 students. The high school served the area for at least twenty years. Enrollment jumped to 37 students in 1911, and surged to 128 students by 1928. According to Talisman yearbook writer Violet F. Hansen’s 1928 history of the school, S. R. Buchanan was the Superintendent from the high school’s opening until 1907, when H. E. Iler rreplaced him and served until the eventual end of Averyville High School. Averyville High School ceased to exist in name only in 1929 when the annexation into Peoria took place. However, the school became Kingman High School in the Peoria School District. Peoria’s growth continued into the 1930’s, as the school’s enrollment was 531 in 1936. At that time, Kingman was conducting business on a two-shift schedule. In 1937, when a new and larger school was built just west of the Averyville neighborhood called Woodruff High School. That school closed in 2010. The former Averyville/Kingman High School still serves in educational use today as Kingman Grade School for District 150. In 1902 … W.S. Evert was School Board President M.J. Yayahaugh was School Board clerk G.A. Young, C.A. Johnson, M.T. Whalton, G.H. Nicol and H.O. Graham were the other Board members. Reeves and Baille designed the building, J.S. Johnson was the general contractor, J.A. Palmer was the mason contractor, and Nailon Bros. and Co. installed the original plumbing and heating. Averyville High School “Quick Facts” Year opened: 1902 Year closed: 1929 Consolidated to: Peoria School System Averyville HS team nickname: unavailable AHS team colors: Blue and Gray School Fight Song: unavailable Peoria Kingman High School “Quick Facts” Year opened: 1929 Year closed: 1937 Replacement school: Woodruff High School Team Nickname: unavailable School Colors: Blue and Gray School Fight Song: listed below: Come and fight now Kingman School show what you can do; Come on team now fight, U, Rah! Rah! Regarding the 1932 photo of the Peoria Kingman High School students submitted by Nathan Danz: “(The) photo (below is) courtesy of my grandfather Edwin Atteberry, front right. His twin Edward Atteberry is also front row, fourth from the left. Dressed alike. This is taken about 1932 on the north side of the school along Sloan Street. The steps and school are still there.”
Athletics The Averyville and Kingman High School boys competed in cross country, track, football, and basketball (www.ihsa.org). When Superintendent Iler came to Averyville in 1908, he started the school’s first interscholastic competition. If you have any other facts regarding the athletic accomplishments of AHS/KHS please contact us via e-mail at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.. |
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