The History of Strawn High School Strawn (population 104) is located in eastern Illinois approximately 30 miles northeast of Bloomington. Illinois Route 47 runs through town at County Road E 200 North. This places Strawn in southeastern Livingston County. The Norfolk & Western Railroad also lays some tracks through the small town. Strawn has a very progressive and storied educational past. The first school in the community was opened in 1874, and was the very first village in Livingston County to consolidate the surrounding country schools in the early 1920’s. The dirt roads leading to and from Strawn had to be paved with gravel to accommodate the students being brought to town from the Leopold, Kuntz, and Pursely country schools on the buses shown above. Strawn supported its own high school for about five decades. It was in the late 1940’s the villages of Forrest, Strawn, and Wing began consolidation talks for their high schools. After a favorable vote in all three villages in March 1949, their efforts became a reality when the Forrest-Strawn-Wing School District was formed. The high school for the new district was located in Forrest. The Strawn High School building served as the Forrest-Strawn-Wing Grade School building for about 30 years. It was in 1985 that Forrest-Strawn-Wing closed her doors as well. The Strawn School building was originally turned into a nightclub called “Nightschool,” however, this venture did not go very well. The building sat abandoned for several years until being razed in 1997. A photo of the building is especially needed to share with others. The Strawn high school-aged kids now attend Fairbury Prairie Central High School. Strawn High School Quick Facts Year opened: late 1800s Year closed: 1949 Consolidated to: Forrest-Strawn-Wing High School School building use: Forrest-Strawn-Wing Grade School Year FSW GS closed: 1985 Year former HS building razed: 1997 Consolidated to: Forrest-Strawn-Wing High School School nickname: the “Bluebirds” School colors: Blue & White School Fight Song: unavailable
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