99 - Richland School, East Peoria
Information about the Richland Bottoms and specifically Richland School is hard to come by. The only reference that I could find to Richland School is a TopoZone map identifying it as an historical item.
Until I learn more, I’m going to theorize that the great 1943 Flood is possibly what did this school in.
A 2005 Peoria Journal Star article, in reference to rebuilding of the East Peoria Levee had this to say:
“In May 1943, the Illinois River reached a level of 28.8 feet, the highest in Peoria’s history. At the time, industrial plants were working three shifts to meet government demands for World War II supplies.
Some plants had to shut down, and hundreds of men and women working on government contracts were laid off. Floods covered railroad tracks, and roads washed away.
More than 1,000 men worked day and night stacking sandbags along the levee which nearly broke several times. An estimated 250 families moved out of the East Peoria Richland area in fear the levee and dikes would not hold.”
UPDATE 1/2/2007 : I tried, but my theory is way off base. According to two commenters, the school was open into the 1970’s.Â
November 4th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
I’ll take a stab at this. The old St. Pat’s school. My second guess is Webster school.
November 6th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Three strikes and you’re out?
November 6th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
What Glen Oak School will look like in a few years?
November 9th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
How about the Catholic School across from Blaine Sumner School.
November 9th, 2006 at 5:20 pm
No, but I’ll have to check that out
I give hints if asked.
November 9th, 2006 at 6:37 pm
I know you do, but what fun is that! Is it the school in East Peoria down by Cat? I get to keep guessing since no one else is.
November 10th, 2006 at 12:33 am
I think this is the old building across from Blaine-Sumner. Is the community outreach ministry still planned for these buildings? I’ve always been curious as to why they haven’t been demolished.
November 13th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
The Richland School was still in use at least into the late 1960’s. I have vague memories of going there for some reason while I was in high school. It is also on a Peoria map I have that is from about 1970. There is no mention of it on the East Peoria School district web site.
November 14th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Well, that blows my theory out of the water (no pun intended).
December 8th, 2006 at 7:43 am
jonny391
January 1st, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Richland school closed in the early or mid seventies, due to declining enrollment & the shift away from neighborhood schools. It stands empty today.
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Richland school was one of the happiest memories of my growing years. I went from kindergarten thru eighth grade there. There were some of the most wonderful teachers ever. And in my mind only one bad apple, far as teachers go. The area known as the bottoms was one of the most close knit neighborhoods in the united states back in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. There was not a door a child could knock on that the person who answered didn’t know them by their first name and that child didn’t feel safe. What a shame that it has become what it has and that they didn’t do something constructive with that old school that was once so full of life.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I remeber playing kickball there when I was going to school there and losing multiple balls in the barbed wire fence that lined cat parking lot
August 25th, 2008 at 1:35 am
The Richland school was still open in 1948 when I started 1st grade. I was there 5 years so know it open after that for a while.