Louis Sullivan (1856-1924)
Washington School 1884, Albumen Photograph. Marengo, Illinois, 1884.
McHenry County Historical Society, Union, Illinois.
Architect Louis Sullivan built Washington School in Marengo in 1883, on the base of a school that had burned down the year before. It was the only school building he ever designed. Sullivan developed pivotal architectural techniques to build skyscrapers a few years after building Washington school. The school bore several signature elements of Sullivan’s style. He drew heavily from shapes found in Egyptian architecture, and looked to incorporate organic designs found nature.
Washington School was the first of two schools built in the city to replace the older school, the second being Locust School in 1885. Until 1921 Washington housed the elementary and high schools. Unfortunately, better schools were built and Washington closed in 1985. It was torn down and replaced by a McDonald’s in the early 1990’s.
Public School, Marengo, Illinois, Publication Clipping. n.p., n.d.
McHenry County Historical Society, Union, Illinois.
The photograph above shows the opposite side of the school, several years later.
Over the years additions were made to the school, to accommodate the growing community and needs of the classroom. When the school was sold and demolished, several people noted that there was little left of the original building to preserve. Newspapers covered the running debate.
Early in its life the school was often compared with another work of Sullivan’s, the Sinai Temple in Chicago.
With growing success, Sullivan later went on to work mostly in cities like Chicago. Like the school, many of the buildings ended up changed and modified with the needs of the city. A photo gallery is available here, where you can view some before and after shots.
More on Sullivan’s life and work is available in a brief biography.
Twombly (1987); Pearson (1988)
Images Courtesy of the McHenry County Historical Society
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Stories, Structures, and Songs 