About The School

Hopkinsville High School Heritage

Hopkinsville High School has a rich heritage upon which to reflect. Hopkinsville's first public high school was located on the southeast corner of Clay Street, between Forth and Fifth. The school, consisting of grades 1 through 10, was opened February 1, 1881. The eleventh grade was added in 1892 and the first 12-year class graduated in 1904. The name "Hopkinsville High School' was adopted in 1903.

In 1912, Hopkinsville High School was moved to Walnut Street between Stanley and Central Avenue. It was constructed between 1910 and 1912 and opened in the fall of 1912. It served grades 9 through 12. Central Avenue Gym was built in 1930; the auditorium was built in 1936; and Tiger Football Stadium (now called Walnut Street Stadium) was constructed in 1937.

The present high school was built on Koffman Drive between 1962 and 1963. This building contained what is now known as the 100 and 200 halls, the office, cafeteria and the library. Only the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades were housed in the new school; the ninth grade remained at the school on Walnut Street.

Several additions have been made to Hopkinsville High since it opened in 1963. The gym and swimming were added in 1968. The ninth grade was moved to the new school in 1971. With this move came the addition of present day 300 and 400 halls. Also during that year, the audio visual room and the resource center were added. The year 1974 saw the construction of a music building, and the hallway which connects the hall in front of the library with the 300 hall was added in 1979.

William T. Turner HHS '59