Moberly Junior High School

Moberly, Missouri
Randolph County

The Moberly Junior High School consists of a 1917 rear auditorium wing and main school wing constructed in 1930 to replace Moberly’s first high school constructed on the same parcel in 1895.  The building is one of Moberly’s oldest schools and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 for its educational and historical significance. The building was designed by local architect Ludwig Abt, whose work is associated with a number of significant properties in Moberly. Very few changes were made to the school during the 75+ years it was used as the city’s junior high school. In 1997, the building was closed by Moberly’s school district and has since remained vacant. Like many vacant structures, Moberly Junior High School is in peril due to lack of maintenance and neglect. In 2012, plans to rehabilitate the building as senior housing fell through due to lack of sufficient funding. The Moberly community strongly supports preservation and believes this property has great potential for rehabilitation – whether for housing (as previously planned) or another use. The City of Moberly, which currently owns the property is discussing ways to market the building but if no plans arise soon, demolition is an option that the City will be forced to consider.  The community hopes that listing Moberly Junior High School as a Place in Peril will garner support for the building’s rehabilitation and capture the attention of potential developers who have the vision and means to undertake such a project.

Update 1/22/2021: Funding received for project. Construction will begin in the spring!