Oregon High School Deemed Eligible For National Register After Demolition Begins – KXL

BANKS, OR – The Banks Historical Society announced today that the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation determined the former Banks Union High School complex met the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places — but demolition had already begun, preventing the nomination from moving forward.

The decision came during a February 19 hearing of the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation, which reviews all proposed nominations to the National Register of Historic Places in Oregon. Committee members stated they had a “high level of confidence” that both the 106-year-old brick school building and its adjacent Works Progress Administration-built gymnasium would have been recommended for forwarding to the federal level.

However, because the Banks School District had already initiated demolition — including major exterior demolition just days before the hearing — the buildings were rendered ineligible before the process could be completed.

According to the Historical Society’s 70-page nomination, the school held historic significance as the first Union High School in Washington County and among the earliest in the state. The SACHP also cited the architectural importance of both buildings as classic examples of design from their respective eras — the early 20th-century brick school and the Depression-era WPA gymnasium.

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of buildings, districts, structures, sites and objects considered significant to local, state or national history. The SACHP reviews all proposed nominations in Oregon before they are forwarded to the National Park Service for final approval.

Committee members commended the Banks Historical Society preservation committee for the exceptional quality of its application, noting it would serve as a model for other communities pursuing historic designation.

Prior to demolition, the buildings were evaluated and determined to retain sufficient historic integrity to qualify for listing. The SACHP opened public comment and scheduled the February 19 hearing on December 11, 2025. Demolition began in early February 2026.

Efforts to preserve the 1920 school gained momentum in November 2024, when more than 250 residents signed a petition urging its protection. Shortly thereafter, the Banks Historical Society began preparing its National Register application.

The Banks School Board ultimately determined restoration of the historic campus would be cost-prohibitive. A cost-neutral proposal that would have incorporated the historic building into plans for a new school facility was later presented to the board but rejected without explanation.

“It’s too late to save these structures for our community, but we hope this will serve as both a cautionary tale and a positive example,” said Nina Shurts, secretary of the Banks Historical Society and lead author of the application. “We are deeply grateful to the State Historic Preservation Office and the SACHP for their careful review and for publicly affirming the eligibility and quality of these buildings. We encourage other communities to act quickly to preserve their historic architecture before it’s all gone.”

While the former Banks Union High School complex will not be added to the National Register, preservation advocates say the recognition affirms its historic importance — even as the physical structures disappear from the city’s landscape.