Paxton History Tour Sites
Thank you for your interest in Paxton's rich history. This page is maintained by the Paxton Chamber of Commerce. To learn more about the 24 selected historic sites around our community, you can either browse this website or preferably visit the site in person and, using the camera on your phone, scan the QR code, which will be displayed at most sites. Each QR code link will bring up a brief history of the site and several pictures. Our goal is to continue to improve this project by adding more historic sites, pictures and information.
Almost all of the QR codes are up around Paxton now!
See map below for locations of QR Codes
Paxton Schools Eastlawn
The first schoolhouse in Paxton, then known as Prospect City, was constructed in 1856-1857 on the site now located at the southeast corner of East Franklin and Union Streets. The building also served as a meeting hall and a church with the Methodist Circuit Riders stopping there. It exists as a residence after being remodeled several times. Records show both a Mrs. Salina Allen and a Miss Jenny Lyon as the first teachers. Possibly Mrs. Allen served when the city was called Prospect City and Miss Lyon when the name was changed to Paxton in 1859.
Paxton High School was organized in 1874 by LE Evans with a 3 year course offered. Classes were discontinued then reinstated in 1891 by WA Wetzel. The Westlawn school on the corner of Orleans and Elm was built in 1902 at a cost of $12,500 and served as a school until the 1977. The building remains and is now privately owned, with part of the addition owned by the Upper Room Church.
At one time, there were two schools on these two sites. To the West, was the original Eastlawn, presumably built in the late 1800s' and razed in 1965. In 1925, another School was built at this site, to accommodate the increasing number of High School students. At that time, grades 1-4 attended Westlawn and grades 5-8 attended Eastlawn school. The high school met on the top floor of the original building until the new school was built to the east in 1925.
In the 1940's the state promoted consolidation of schools. At that time, many of the rural schools would be brought into the Paxton Community Unit School district.
Clara Peterson school was completed in 1955 at a cost of $430,000. It was named for a teacher that taught in the district for more than 50 years. The current high school was built at 700 West Orleans in 1965 at a cost of $965,000. The Junior High students took over the old high school building to the East and the building to the west was razed in the fall of 1965, thus providing a playground for the students. For many years, the school was named Paxton Junior High and the mascot was the Pintos. After consolidation with Buckley-Loda, the name of the school was changed to Eastlawn (not to be confused with the original Eastlawn, which where the playground was)
This information was provided by the late Ralph Harrell and was in the Paxton Record.
