The History of Longfellow Elementary School

Longfellow Elementary School has been an important part of the Hastings community for well over a century. Its story is closely connected to the growth of both Hastings and Hastings Public Schools.

  Early Years: 1872–1912

Hastings was founded in 1872 at the intersection of the Burlington Missouri Railroad and the St. Joseph and Denver City Railroad. On June 18, 1872, School District 18—now Hastings Public Schools—was established.

The district's first classes were held in the spring of 1873 in a rented room measuring just 14 by 16 feet. Later that year, construction began on the community’s first schoolhouse. The two-story frame building cost $5,000 and could accommodate 350 students. During the 1875–1876 school year, enrollment reached 149 students between the ages of 5 and 20.

As Hastings grew, additional schools were needed. First Ward School, the city's first elementary school, was built at Lincoln Avenue and A Street in 1880. In 1882, Hastings built its first high school on Denver Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets. After the building was destroyed by fire in 1886, a new brick structure was constructed on the same site in 1887.

The new building became known as North Ward School. Elementary classrooms occupied the first floor, while high school students attended classes on the second floor. The principal's office was located in the tower. By 1890, enrollment throughout the district had grown to approximately 1,000 students.

Additional ward schools were built to serve the expanding population:

• West Ward School (1886)
• South Ward School (1888)
• East Ward School (1891)

Becoming Longfellow: 1905–1925 

A new Hastings High School opened in 1905, allowing high school students to move out of North Ward. North Ward then served elementary and upper-grade students, and the district established a kindergarten program that same year. A separate kindergarten cottage was built adjacent to the main building.

In 1912, students voted to rename the ward schools:

First Ward became Lincoln Elementary.

West Ward became Morton Elementary.

South Ward became Hawthorne Elementary.

East Ward became Alcott Elementary.

North Ward became Longfellow Elementary, named after the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

In 1913, the Mothers of Longfellow organization purchased a bust of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for $25. The bust remains in the school today. 

A new junior high school opened in 1917, and grades 7–9 moved to that building. Longfellow then became a Kindergarten through 6th-grade school.

A second-grade cottage was added in 1923, and the Longfellow Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was organized in 1925. During this time, art and music programs flourished, leading to the formation of the school's first band and orchestra.

The Current Building: 1926–1927 

Construction of the current Longfellow Elementary building began on September 7, 1926, at a cost of $194,588. The school was designed by local architect Kenneth Gedney, who also designed several notable Hastings buildings.

Students moved into the new school in May 1927. The original 1887 building was demolished later that summer.

Growth and Modernization: 1953–2007

Several important additions and improvements were made throughout the years.

In 1953:

• A four-room Science and Kindergarten addition was constructed.
• The school launched its hot lunch program.

Lunches were initially served in the gymnasium until a cafeteria was added in 1971.

Other significant updates included:

• 1969: The original student entrance on the 9th Street side was converted into office space.
• 1978: Large windows were replaced with smaller, energy-efficient windows through a state energy grant project.
• 1987: The S.T.O.P. (Students Together Offer Prevention) program was introduced, serving as a predecessor to the D.A.R.E. program.

In 2007, Hastings Middle School opened, and Longfellow's sixth-grade students moved to the new building. The available classroom space allowed the school to add a preschool program.

Longfellow Today

Today, Longfellow Elementary continues its tradition of educational excellence while honoring its rich history. The school serves students through a nationally recognized Character Education Program that supports both academic achievement and personal growth.

Longfellow remains committed to the Hastings Public Schools mission of:

"Assuring the Essential, Expanding the Possible"

For more than 100 years, Longfellow Elementary has provided a strong foundation for generations of students and continues to be a proud part of the Hastings community.

The Legacy of Longfellow: 1926–2026

A Century of Memories, Learning & Leopards

Longfellow Elementary Remodeling Project Photo Slideshow

Legacy of Longfellow

Longellow Elementary History Video