Former Huntington High

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A vintage postcard shows the former Huntington High School
 on 8th Street shortly after it was built in 1916.James E. Casto

 Submitted postcard

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Designed by well-known Huntington architect Verus T. Ritter,
 Huntington High School was built in 1916 on a block-long
 site on the east side of 8th Street between
 9th and 10th avenues.

The school faithfully served decades of students,
 but as Huntington steadily grew larger, the
 building became seriously overcrowded.

By the late 1930s, the school’s overcrowding was so severe
 that the student body had to be divided, with half of
 the students attending classes in the mornings
 and the other half in the afternoons.

The overcrowding problem was resolved with the construction
 of Huntington East High School in 1940. The two schools
became fierce sports rivals, but the
 days were numbered for both.

By the 1990s, both aging buildings had outlived their usefulness.
 Each school graduated its final class in 1996, with a new
 facility built to combine both. The new consolidated
 school was given the Huntington High name.

After the move, the Cabell County Board
 of Education relocated its offices to the
 former Huntington East High School.

The old Huntington High School building sat vacant for several years
 before it was reopened as the Huntington Renaissance Center,
 a multipurpose community building. Today, the Renaissance
 Center houses the Phil Cline Family YMCA,
 performing and fine arts facilities,
 and residential units for dozens
 of senior citizens.

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Note:  This Article and picture appeared in the Herald-Dispatch Newspaper on Jan. 28, 2025.

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