"On September 1, 1859, an election was held which approved the site and money for the River School on North Van Buren Avenue at Ringold Street. The plans were drawn by Randall of Chicago and the building erected by H. H. Upp, the brickwork by Denward Shockley and the Painting by Samuel Voclet and Knepley. The school cost $6,000, and was completed in 1860. It served as a school until 1926 when closed permanently, after a short closing in 1918-19. It was sold in 1937 to Edgar C. Eells, who leased it for a warehouse, first to Yordy and Kerch and later to Vandenberg and O'Mara. It was razed in 1969 to make way for a second 'high rise' apartment building for the elderly. For a short while in the 1880's it was known as the Mitchell School." Contributed by Karen Fyock - from the 1970 Stephenson County History