The Clemenceau Public School building celebrated its 100th birthday with special presentations and an open house on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Construction of the school building started in 1923 through the efforts of James “Rawhide” Douglas. The final cost was $100,000. Classes started in 1924; the school served grades 1 through 9 for those living in the Cottonwood, Clemenceau and Smelter City communities.
From 1947 to 1958, the building served as the Cottonwood High School. Lockers and other high school accessories like science labs, typewriters and a brand new football field with bleachers were added. The school mascot was the Red Devil and the school colors were scarlet and silver. Classes continued there until 1987.
“This is a living, evolving building that creates memories,” Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Donna Michaels said. She read a proclamation from the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors proclaiming Sept, 30, 2023, to be the 100th anniversary of the Clemenceau Public School building.
Mayor Tim Elinski read a similar proclamation issued by the city of Cottonwood and Steve King, superintendent of the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District, read a recognition statement from U.S. Rep. Eli Crane [R-District 2] and the office of Gov. Katie Hobbs.
King said that he is a lover of history, adding that every day he gets to live in the history of the Clemenceau building. He now works in the same building where his grandmother worked decades ago.
Former COCSD Superintendent Julie Larson discussed the history of the school district and its evolution since the first school was built in 1878. It required six students to form a school, and the first school was an adobe building built by soldiers supervising Yavapai farmers.
In 1954, the Oak Creek School in Cornville was annexed by Cottonwood Elementary, creating the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District. The school year of 1971-72 was the first for Cottonwood Junior High and their Lobo mascot. In 1987, Dr. Daniel Bright School opened.
Attendees sang “Happy Birthday” to the school building before celebrating with birthday cake, which was followed by a chance to look over old yearbooks and examine an old school paddle covered with signatures.
All of the speakers mentioned that the building is still a space of education and continues to foster learning to this day. Currently the north end of the building serves as the offices of the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District, while the south end houses the Clemenceau Heritage Museum.
