Historical Images of Porter County

Jackson Center High School
Jackson Township, Porter County, Indiana

Date: 1910
Source Type: Postcard
Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Unknown
Postmark: January 20, 1911, Valparaiso, Indiana
Collection: Steven R. Shook
Remark: The school house seen in this image was the first of three high schools constructed to serve Jackson Township residents. The Jackson Center High School was located northwest of the intersection of County Road 350 East and Tratebas Road. Historically, Jackson Center High School represented School District Number 3 of Jackson Township.

This school site was considered jinxed since it was heavily damaged by tornadic winds on two occasions. Constructed in 1901 as a two-room brick structure, the school shown in this postcard was completely demolished by a tornado on November 11, 1911. A three-room brick school was constructed on the same site only to have its roof and west wall completed destroyed by tornadic winds on May 11, 1929. It was then decided to relocate the township school to County Road 400 East, north of U.S. Route 6. After being damaged by a tornado a second time, the remaining parts of the three-rrom school building and its contents were sold at auction by the Jackson Township trustee on November 29, 1930, to Everett Eggleston for $123.

This postcard was sent by sisters Anna Belle and Edith Jane Peterson to their cousins Pearl and Zella Critchfield. Anna and Edith, age 15 and 17 respectively when this postcard was mailed, were residents of Jackson Township and the daughters of Caleb and Ida A. (Weidner) Peterson. Their message to their cousins states: "This is our school house. You can see the High School. How are you getting along." Edith married Joseph G. Annis and passed away in 1959 at LaPorte, while Anna married Arthur A. Crowe and passed away in 1991 in Texas.

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Image and related text prepared by Steven R. Shook