The imposing brick facade of Lincoln Park High School stands before you. Its history whispers from every window.
Lincoln Park High School isn’t just a school. It’s a living testament to Chicago’s growth. It began its life in 1875 as North Division High School. That was the first public high school on Chicago’s north side. Think about that for a moment. The very first.
The original building couldn’t handle the growing student population. By the late 1890s the school needed more space. Construction started on the current building in 1899. It opened in 1900 as Robert A. Waller High School. Both names were used for decades. Students and staff from the old North Division High School simply moved to the new location.
Over the years Lincoln Park High School kept growing. In the 1910s they needed even more space. Expansion plans were drawn up. However the Great Depression delayed the process. A Franklin Branch was opened in 1934 to ease the problem. It closed in 1948. Finally an annex was built in 1938. It included two new gyms. The old gym became a student lunchroom.
The 1960s saw another population boom. Portable classrooms returned. A new north wing was added. It included a new lunchroom and auditorium. The old lunchroom was turned into office space. The library moved into the former assembly hall. The 1970s brought challenges. The aging building needed repairs. Discipline problems led to an alternative school.
In a revitalization effort the school got a new name. It officially became Lincoln Park High School. Orchard Street was closed in front of the school. A new mall was created. This connected the school to Oz Park.
Today Lincoln Park High School boasts a diverse range of programs. These include general education performing arts visual arts and the highly selective International Baccalaureate program. Many students participate in several programs. The IB Diploma Program students mostly study together. Exceptions are music art lunch and PE.
Lincoln Park High School is a place of significant achievement. It’s consistently ranked among the top schools in Illinois and the nation. Its alumni include notable figures in politics and entertainment. Among them are Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and actor Freddy Rodriguez. The school’s legacy is one of academic excellence and community engagement. It is a story of adaptation and perseverance a story etched into the very bricks of this building. It is a story still being written.