Denver North High School History
Denver North High School was founded in 1883 with a vision, and a passion for education. When Denver North High School was founded there were only 12 kids and 6 in the first graduating class but those 12 kids inspired a 130+ year legacy. Denver North is being defined in excellence everyday, just this year North's freshman class is 340 students and growing.
In 1883 Denver North High School Started on the 3rd floor of Denver's Ashland Elementry School. North Opened its doors on the September 6th 1883 under the teaching direction of Kate Lewis.
The first graduating class out of North was 6 students but in the first year of North Side High School there were 12 students. Since Junior High School's didn't exist in Denver until the 1920s, Ashland housed High School classes from 9-12. In 1982 Denver North High School would go back to grades 9-12 but between the 1920’s and the 1980’s North High School was only Sophomore’s, Juniors and Seniors.
North Side High School/ Ashland Elementary School Postcard, 1896.
Early Day's of North...
In the early days of North High School everything the school did was documented. To the right you see information talking about early North High School.
Denver Post 1909, artists drawing of the future North Side High School.
Main Hallway of new North Side High School
Named Denver North Side High School, it was the first Denver public high school to officially use a directional name.
When Highland joined the city of Denver in 1896, the high school saw a great increase in students. The cornerstone was laid in 1909 for a grand, Beaux Arts style building which was completed in 1911 to accommodate the growing school. The school took Denver North High School as its name, dropping the “Side.” The other directional high schools would later follow suit.
North High School was determined large enough and beautiful enough that it did not need to be redone during the City Beautiful project.
Just a quick side note...
This picture shows how pictures were taken back in the early days of North, the photo was taken in 1917 showing how hard it was to just take one photo back in the early days of North High School. But this is how the historical pictures were taken. This is also one of the first photos taken of the new North High School.
North Side High School Class of 1900
Principal Edward L Brown.
From 1900 to 1924 North High School had its longest-serving principal, notable principal Mr. Edward L Brown serve North High School for 24 years. His greatness brought us the brand new Denver North High School building we know today, and helped bring up student numbers into the thousands. In the 1950s Denver public schools honored Edward L Brown by naming a brand new Elementary School in North Denver after the principal. The school's name is Edward L Brown Elementary School. (1951)
Construction Begins
The City of Denver started construction on the brand new building located at 2960 N Speer Blvd in 1909 and completed construction August 1911 and opening September 6th 1911
Photos Denver North Archive
A very rare photo of construction rapping up at 2960 N Speer Blvd. (1910)
The statue lost in time...
In the 1920’s there was a statue inside of the front hallway of North High School, the statue was named “The Pioneer Women” but in the year 1930 the statue officially disappeared. There have only been three reported photos of the statue but in the 1930 yearbook the front hallway in photographed but no statue. Some historians say it's still around but in another location, some say it's gone by the wayside.
The North High School Library (1917)
When Denver North High School opened in 1911 they constructed a beautiful library. It's sat on the second floor where the lecture hall is today. Around the library set beautiful works of art donated by classes from the past and made by students. When you would walk out the library doors across the hall sat the balcony for the auditorium.
Denver North High School Industrial Arts Wing
In 1913 Denver North High School Added an Industrial Arts Wing on to the original 1911 building. this new building housed the shops like Medal, Wood and Leather.
Denver Public Library Western History.
Also inside the 1913 building.
A lot of people didn't know this but inside the 1913 building housed the Denver North High School gymnasium. In the building there was a small gym that students practiced sports in and it held gym classes inside. It was taken out in 1959 and turned into another shop class.
Denver North High School Gymnasium
In 1960 Denver North High School Added a Gymnasium Building to House North's Athletics and Music. The building is set to be renovated in 2019, they will be adding brand new, Locker Rooms, Wrestling Facility's and a state of the art Climbing Wall/ Auxiliary Gym.
Photos by Denver Public Library Western History and Denver North High Archive.
Construction, 1959
Denver North Administrative Building
In 1982 Denver Voted to add a new addition to Denver North Hgh School. So in 1983 and 1984 Denver North opened the new administrative building including state of the art Auditorium, Cafeteria and Alumni Center.
2011 Denver North High School Renovation
In 2011 Denver North High School had a 34 million dollar renovation to the 1911 wing. The renovation helped repair the historic elements of North High School and help make beautiful learning environments for Vikings and the community of North Denver.
More Information
Down below is more history provided by Don Muller, another Denver North High School Alumni. The video is named Colorado- History of Denver North High School.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=HMPfKMcJ8vg&list=PLf-B8pwvOO1Jk7gNAzqeccVl4nUEoOKhZ
2018 State Runner-Up Trophy
Denver North Contact Information
For more information about Denver North High School contact Principal Scott Wolf at Scott_wolf@dpsk12.org
For information on upcoming tours and events at North High School email Rebecca Caldwell at Rebecca_caldwell@dpsk12.org
If you need information on your class reunions upcoming class events email Dorolyn Grebinaw at dorogreb@comcast.net
And for more history and alumni information on North High School email Daniel McAllister at Daniel_mcallister@dpsk12.net