National and State Registers of Historic Places
Washington School
300 E. Myrtle Street
Independence (Montgomery County)
Listed in National Register
2015-04-14
Architect: Williamson, Thomas
Category: school
Thematic Nomination: Historic Public Schools of Kansas
Washington School was constructed with the assistance of the federal Public Works Administration (PWA) and officially opened January 3, 1940. The two-story building is constructed of architectural concrete and reflects the early Modern Movement in architecture, defined by its stepped rectangular massing and clean lines with contrasting forms. Entrances feature curved concrete walls and railings characteristic of the Art Moderne style. The school was designed by Thomas W. Williamson and Co., a Topeka-based firm with hundreds of public school commissions. Washington School served the community of Independence as a public grade school until 2011. It was nominated as part of the "Historic Public Schools of Kansas" and "New Deal-Era Resources of Kansas" multiple property nominations in the areas of education and architecture.
