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Central Corridor: Mill Creek Valley & Midtown
Vashon High School (1963)
3405 Bell Avenue (originally Hadley Technical High School)
Open to public / Not Open to public
Not open to the public
Operations ceased here in spring of 2002, as Vashon High moved to a brand new building further north; an online history of Vashon notes conditions in the building were "a disgrace" and "a most unfitting educational climate for the young men and women who are entitled by law to much better facilities". I recall seeing the building's massive windows tinted or painted out while passing by on earlier occasions, giving the building a down-at-the-heels look. Those massive windows, however, also hint at how much daylight could be provided to the interior spaces, and I wonder what a renovation might have been able to accomplish.
Two 1955 additions were already gone by the time I happened upon the half-demolished facility at the beginning of 2003.
SOURCE: The historical information presented on this page is adapted with permission from Discovering African American St. Louis: A Guide to Historic Sites by Dr. John A. Wright, Sr. We are honored to share his invaluable research and historical insights, made available through the generous consent of Dr. Wright and the Missouri Historical Society Press. Their dedication to preserving and celebrating the rich legacy of Black St. Louis is a gift to our community—a testament to those who came before us and a guide for those who walk the path forward.
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3405 Bell Avenue (originally Hadley Technical High School)