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This photo is of Gurnee Grade school built in the 1850s located on kilbourne rd. (The kilbourne that is in between Grand Ave and 45). The school was k-8 with about 300 students when I was there but was sadly knocked down in 2014 due to flooding from the Des plaines river every year. Now it is an open field with a trail to connect to the river bike/walking trail.
LOL...I think you mean 1950's...
Technically the original first gurnee log school house and church were erected in the early 1840s. In 1868, a two-room brick building was erected and was added on to and modified as time went on.
****The two room brick building took place of the one room log school house, still carrying the name of gurnee grade school.****
The building (IN THE PICTURE) is Gurnee Grade that I attended , not the one built in 1850 ... image is from 1973...
The triangular property in front of the Gurnee Grade School on the corner of Old Grand Ave. (formerly Grand Ave.), Kilbourne Rd. and Emerald Ave., was purchased by Jonathan Barret Harvey (1790-1845) and Wealthy (Buell) Harvey (1793-1880) and here they built their house (not seen to the left). Originating from New York where all 13 of their children were born, they came from Akron, Ohio in 1843.
The Harvey property, consisting of 80 acres in Warren Township, was bordered by the Des Plaines River. Travelers crossed the river via Milwaukee Rd. (located behind the Ace Hardware building) to their property. In January 1845, Jonathan died and in December 1846 Wealthy married Erastus Rudd (1797-1870). The building was designed for overnight travelers and a place to stay for homesteaders. It was known as the Mother Rudd Tavern. For a time the house was used for a town hall, elections and many dances which were held upstairs. After Wealthy died, her daughter, Nancy (Harvey) Mutaw (1830-1915) and her husband Lucien Mutaw (1833-1916) lived there. Their daughter Josephine Mutaw (1872-1940) married Albert Paddock (1865-1946), a farmer, and lived in Grant Township between Volo and Hainesville.
Ownership of the Mother Rudd property had several more owners before the Village of Gurnee purchased the remaining 3-acre property in 1984. In 1985, Wealthy's descendant, I, Vern Paddock, started a non-profit organization to coordinate the restoration and preservation of the 1843 house. Today, The Mother Rudd House is home to the Warren Township Historical Society.
Dang Brad Sage, someone’s a little sassy. I went to school there too, so many great memories.