Uniontown High School

Uniontown (population 25?) is located in upper western Illinois in the southeastern portion of Knox County. Uniontown is located in Salem Township on County Road 22 about one mile north of Illinois Route 116. The Burlington Northern Railroad line passes by to the east of town. The town of Farmington is about 2 miles to the southeast of Uniontown. Galesburg is a short 30 miles northwest of Uniontown.

A bit of history information regarding Uniontown (or “Union Town”) was located at the web address of http://knox.illinoisgenweb.org/histories/salem.htm#Uniontown . The town was platted in 1839, making it one of the oldest in the area. Uniontown showed great promise in its early days, having several businesses and houses. However, as railroads traveled through the area, none of the tracks were laid near Uniontown. The town eventually dissolved. According to Google Earthmap images, today Uniontown consists of about 5 farm complexes spread out over about a one-half mile section of County Road 22.

We were made aware that Uniontown once supported a school that offered high school courses through research by Roberta Van Briesen. An obituary for Ilene Gawthorpe listed that Ilene attended Uniontown High School in Salem Township of Knox County. Irene was born in 1916 so she likely attended Uniontown High School in the early 1930s. To view Ilene Gawthorpe’s obituary in its entirety please visit this web address:

http://www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/hurdhe0/obit.cgi?user=906435Gawthrop

Ilene’s obituary states, in part,  the following:  “Ilene M. Gawthrop, age 96, of Galesburg, Illinois died at 1:00 P.M. on Monday, February 11, 2013 at the Knox County Nursing Home in Knoxville, Illinois. She was born on November 16, 1916 in Knoxville, Illinois the daughter of Alvin Dean and Iva Simkins Potter. She attended Uniontown High school in Salem Township.”

We are not certain how many years of high school were offered at Uniontown. It is likely, based on the size of the town, that Uniontown High School was a two or three-year high school. We do know that kids who live in the area today attend high school in nearby Farmington.  

Uniontown High School Quick Facts

Year opened:                             ?

Year closed:                              late 1940s?

Consolidated to:                         Farmington High School

Uniontown HS team nickname:  ?

Uniontown HS team colors:       ?

School Fight Song:                     ?