In the age of progress where the old is often cast aside for the new, most infrastructure, public buildings, and businesses built during the early 1900s have long since been replaced. Although countless examples of this can be given, Waterford High School is an exception.

In 1894 Waterford Township High School, and, about the same time, Watertown High School, were established. Both high schools were two story frame buildings. Waterford Township High School was located on one acre near the base of Point Beauty on what is now called Mill Street. According to the late Grace Turner, her husband, Harold, uncovered some of the high school’s foundation stones in the yard behind their trailer. Watertown High School was located at the top of the hill on Church Street. Pictures of both buildings at their original sites have survived.

The first location of Waterford Township High School was not satisfactory. It bordered the railroad track, which certainly made teaching difficult at times. Small manufacturing establishments and mills had built up along the railroad. During the 1890s and early 1900s Waterford was expanding east along Waterford Road and south along Main Street from the Methodist Church, which was built at the intersection of the two roads in 1852.

On August 21, 1906, the Waterford Township Board of Education purchased two acres that joined the Methodist Church from Josephus C. and Louisa Rinehart Oldacre for $800. The board members, who were farsighted in understanding the township high school needed room to expand, were Henry C. McNeal, Edward Bartlett, Edward “Link” Yarnell, Leonard Baldwin, and George Sharp. In 1906 or early 1907, Lucius C. Beebe (1858-1928) and others, using teams of horses, pulled the two-story frame building up Main Street to its new location. Some sources say this move occurred in 1910, but the one acre on what is now Mill Street was sold to Osmer Burris on May 7, 1907, so it was moved before this.

The frame building, with an addition, served as Waterford Township High School until 1915. In that year the frame portion was replaced with a three-story brick structure that still serves as the middle portion of the high school today. Robert Caldwell, current superintendent, says the building’s longevity is due to its many caring staff members over the years and community support. The school bell was moved from the frame building to the 1915 brick building. It was placed in a special enclosure in 1989.

The original two acre school lot did not include a strip approximately 130 feet wide along High Street. This land became lots 1 and 18-22, some with houses, in Martin’s Addition in 1910. The Board purchased what is now the parking lot area in 1910 for $600, the basketball and half the tennis court areas in two parcels in 1925 and 1927 for $3,300, and the ground at the northern corner of Main and High Streets in two parcels in 1926 for $1. The present Waterford High School grounds were purchased in six transactions at a cost of $4,701 between 1906 and 1927.

In 1927 a three-story brick building was added to the existing high school which included an auditorium-gymnasium (now the old gym). From 1928-30, several changes were made under Superintendent W. F. Hughes. Most of Waterford, Watertown and Palmer Townships were consolidated and numerous one room schoolhouses were closed. Watertown High School closed and the Big White Bus transported students to Waterford. The name Waterford Township Schools was no longer appropriate and the name township was dropped. Waterford High School and Wolf Creek School District came into use.

The 1958 addition added a larger gymnasium and elementary classrooms. In 1966 a separate elementary was built, leaving three additions (1915, 1927 and 1958) as the present high school. The Ed Barnett vocational building and a band room have been added to the high school complex.

The celebration of Waterford High School’s centennial in the same building has been highlighted by the successes of all the 2015 sports teams, especially the following five that participated in state tournaments. Steve Littler’s track and field had two girls reach state competition; one placed sixth and the other fifteen. Josh Arnold’s boys’ golf team placed eighth and Chris Lang Baker’s girls’ golf team twelfth. Two teams made their first ever appearance in the state tournament. Coach Laken Adams’ girls’ volleyball team reached the final four. Coach Jerry Close’s high school girls’ basketball team was runner up to the state championship. Waterford High School hit the century mark with academic excellence, accomplishments and pride.

Phillip L. Crane, a Waterford resident and Marietta history teacher for 32 years, will share historical events in the Lower Muskingum Valley.