The first Port Orford grade school when it was situated on Jackson Street across from the Nygren Hotel, built in abt. 1880 and use was discontinued in 1913. You can see the school in an early “panoramic” image of the town taken ca. 1902 mapped for posterity by Pat Masterson and Alan Mitchell.
The next photo is the Elementary through High School built in 1913 on the corner of 11th and Oregon Street where the current grade school’s (Driftwood) ball field is.
A mysterious tripod structure north of the school could be a bell or water tower
in 1927, the High School relocated to a new building on Oregon Street (photos below) while the Junior High and Elementary School continued daily operations in the 1913 building.
We’re still working on this page to include the history of when our current schools (Pacific High School, Driftwood and Blanco School which closed in 2010) were built. If you have any interesting history to share about our school buildings like when the Port Orford High School ( also known as Battle Rock Jr. High) was damaged during the Columbus Day Storm) … please contact us!
Carolyn Bess
Thank you for these photos of the schools! I was recently visiting Port Orford and these pictures mean a lot to me. I have great memories of Battle Rock Junior High.
Joy
Thank you so much! I really appreciate these posts! Do you have any historical photos of the old White Hotel at 101 & Jackson?
Rebecca
Hi Joy — We do have historic photos of the old White Hotel. You will find a couple in this article: “Port Orford and its Fires 1930s-60s”:
https://blog.portorfordhistoricalphotos.org/port-orford-and-its-fires-1930s-60s/
Rebecca
The following comment was sent via email from one of our readers.
“Hi, I lived in Port Orford from 1961-1966 and was a 5th grader during the BIG BLOW. The elementary school lost the roof (as did the high school, 5 miles inland), but the most damage suffered by the junior high school was some roof damage to the gym and some broken damage. It was not SEVERELY damaged.”
Thank you for the information!
Bill Hawley (Bill George in 1955)
-I attended Port Orford grade school around 1955. Are there any class pictures available of the students around that time? Thanks.
Rebecca
Hi Bill — here is one from the Port Orford Grade School in the Nix Collection that is marked “date unknown” … recognize anyone?
https://sixes.net/351-alpha/index.php?twg_album=Nix+Collection&twg_show=Old+Port+Orford+Grade+School+-+Date+Unknown+-+Nix.jpg
I also found one from 1954 from Driftwood School:
https://sixes.net/351-alpha/index.php?twg_album=Nix+Collection&twg_show=Driftwood+School+-+Port+Orford%2C+Oregon+-+1954+-+Nix.jpg
I have some binders that were compiled by Lance Nix that might have what you are looking for as well.
Rebecca
Hi Bill — I found another photo of the Langlois 6th Grade Class from 1955. I bet you can recognize some faces in this photo, even if it is not the Port Orford Grade School:
https://sixes.net/351-alpha/index.php?twg_album=Nix+Collection&twg_show=port-orford-schools-1955.jpg
Also, we have an extensive collection of high school annuals here:
https://blog.portorfordhistoricalphotos.org/2cj-yearbook-annuals-project/
Enjoy!