The History of Ivesdale St. Joseph Catholic High School
Ivesdale population 265) is located in east-central Illinois about 15 miles southwest of Champaign. Ivesdale sits in the far southwestern portion of Champaign County at the border with Piatt County. County Road 6 and County Road 17 will take you to and from Ivesdale. The town was originally laid out in the early 1860s and named Norey after Nora Johnson, daughter of W.H. Johnson who established the railroad stop. It was a stop along the Great Western Railroad. A post office was established in 1866. The name was changed to Ivesdale in 1867 to honor Robert Ives who worked for the company who donated the land on which the village was platted. Ivesdale reached a population peak of 476 in 1900 and last exceeded 400 residents (407) in 1950. The population has slowly but steadily decreased to the current 265.
Ivesdale is home to the beautiful St. Joseph Catholic Church also known as “The Cathedral of the Cornfield” as the rear of the church overlooks some vast farmland. One interesting note is that Ivesdale is also where the longest serving mayor of any one town in Illinois history served. Bernard Alblinger was mayor of Ivesdale from 1963 through 2011, 48 consecutive years. Ivesdale is a very well-kept town with a very nice restaurant and large grain elevator.
Ivesdale Public High School was likely a 2-year (possibly a 3-year) high school which existed from the very early 1920s through the early to mid-1940s, possibly as late as 1947.. The state of Illinois forced the closure of all 2 and 3-year high schools in 1947. A new consolidated school district was formed in nearby Bement of which Ivesdale became a member. The high school aged kids of Ivesdale attend Bement High School today as they have since the closure of high school courses in Ivesdale.
Ivesdale was fortunate to have a 3-year Catholic high school from approximately 1925 through 1928. As stated previously it is believed that Ivesdale also hosted a 2-year public high school from the late 1920s through the late 1940s. This information has only been verified by word of mouth and a newspaper article attached below of a football game involving St. Joseph that included 9th graders. It is likely that Ivesdale St. Joseph offered high school curriculum for 9th and possibly 10th graders through the late 1930s or early 1940s.
Ivesdale continued to host two grade schools for many years. Ivesdale public school held classes for kids in grades 1 – 8 from approximately 1880 through the early 1970s. It then served as a grade school in a lesser capacity for many more years as part of the Bement School District before closing as school. The building is still in great shape and utilized as a private residence today.
Ivesdale was also home to St. Joseph Catholic Grade School from the 1920s through the mid-1960s. This building, which housed students in grades 1 – 8, is still standing just west of the St. Joseph Church building and is known as the Parish Hall.
Ivesdale St. Joseph High School Quick Facts
Year Opened: 1925 (3-year HS / early 1920s for 2-year HS)
Year Closed: 1928 (3-year HS) / late 1930s for 2-year HS)
School Team Mascot: Not Known
School Team Colors: Not Known
School Fight Song: Not Known
————-
Ivesdale Public High School
Year Opened: late 1920s (2-year HS)?
Year Closed: late 1940s (2-year HS)?
School Team Mascot: Not Known
School Team Colors: Not Known
School Fight Song: Not Known
——————————————————————————–
ATHLETICS
We could not locate concrete evidence of Ivesdale High School participating in interscholastic athletics. One article stated that the Ivesdale Grade School played a football game against a Decatur grade school in the 1930s however there were no follow-up articles as to the outcome of the game.
It is likely that the Ivesdale boys participated in basketball and baseball as well. If you have any further information regarding Ivesdale High School or Ivesdale St. Joseph High School sports please send us an email.
———————————————————————————–
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Clubs, choir, dances, class trips and other activities were likely a part of the Ivesdale school children’s curriculum.
————————————————————————————
SEEKING FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have any further information you can share regarding Ivesdale St. Joseph High School or Ivesdale Public High School please contact us at the following email address:
ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net
