National and State Registers of Historic Places
Baldwin City School & Gymnasium/Auditorium
704 Chapel Street
Baldwin City (Douglas County)
Listed in National Register
Jul 7, 2015
Architect: Smith, Charles A.; Williamson, Thomas
Category: school
Thematic Nomination: Historic Public Schools of KansasNew Deal-era Resources of Kansas
Kansas City-based architect Charles A. Smith designed the Baldwin City School, which opened in January 1923. The building embodies Progressive-era tenets particularly involving specialized classrooms. It hosted both elementary and high school classes until a new high school was built in 1969. Topeka-based architect Thomas W. Williamson designed a detached auditorium and gymnasium that was completed in 1942 as part of the Work Projects Administration program. Both buildings functioned as a part of the local public school system until 2011. The property is nominated as part of the "Historic Public Schools of Kansas" and "New Deal-era Resources of Kansas" multiple property nominations.